Jalen Duren’s brief absence from Detroit’s training-camp roster appears headed for a quick resolution. The Pistons and their starting center have reportedly reached terms on a five-year, $200 million rookie-scale extension, keeping one of the pillars of last season’s division winner in place.
Detroit closes in on Duren extension
- Detroit opened training camp without Duren officially under contract four days earlier.
- The center faced a Thursday-night deadline to accept a one-year qualifying offer, a route that would have positioned him for unrestricted free agency after the coming season.
- Instead, the reported five-year agreement would give the Pistons long-term control of their 23-year-old frontcourt anchor.
Duren broke through as a first-time All-Star last season, posting 20.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. His work helped Detroit claim its first Central Division title since 2008 and secure the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The postseason exposed another layer of the evaluation. Duren’s scoring fell to 10.2 points per game, and Detroit needed seven games to get through an eighth-seeded Orlando club in the opening round. The Pistons then lost in seven to Cleveland in the second round despite holding home-court advantage.
From draft-night trade to Detroit’s core
Charlotte selected Duren with the No. 13 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft after his college season at Memphis, but Detroit acquired him in a trade that same night. He has averaged more than 11 points per game in each of his first three NBA seasons.
His best rebounding season came in Year 2, when he collected a career-high 11.6 boards per game. The new deal, once completed, would lock in the Pistons’ center position after a season in which Duren moved from promising young big to All-Star starter.
