Things are tense between free agent Jalen Duren and the Detroit Pistons. Despite the team upping its offer to $200 million over five years, according to The Athletic's Sam Amick and Hunter Patterson (subscription required), Duren has not put pen to paper. At this point, the Pistons might have to pivot and move the big man. A team like the Milwaukee Bucks could make that easier to stomach.
Turner could headline a Duren deal
If the Pistons entertain moving Duren in a sign-and-trade, the Bucks, mentioned in The Athletic report as an interested suitor, make plenty of sense as a partner. They have an assortment of notable talent that could interest Detroit, and they have a freshly restocked asset treasure chest following the trade involving franchise centerpiece Giannis Antetokounmpo that could headline a solid offer.
Any deal starts with Myles Turner, who would land in Detroit as Duren's replacement. While he's eight years older than Duren and has never reached All-Star status, swapping the two wouldn't be a full-on disaster for the Pistons. Turner's image is clouded by his down year with the dysfunctional 2025-26 Milwaukee Bucks, but before that, he was one of the best two-way centers in the game.
He could absolutely fix his image and get back to that status on a contender like the Detroit Pistons.
Bucks have other pieces to spark intrigue
That goes without mentioning other players and picks they could get. While the Bucks should look to keep prized youngsters like Ryan Rollins, Brayden Burries, and Nate Ament off the table, the team can still dangle players like AJ Green or Jaime Jaquez Jr. if they truly want to grab Detroit's attention in a Duren deal. Either player alongside Turner would be a great get for the title-hungry Pistons.
Draft picks could be the true hang-up. How many might the Pistons want? How many would the Bucks be willing to surrender? After finally stocking up this summer, they shouldn't be eager to trade them all and wind up in the same boat so soon. If the Pistons are asking for multiple high-ranking selections, Milwaukee might just hang up the phone on them.
There is no telling if there are any negotiations going on, but the Milwaukee Bucks reportedly have an interest in the big man. If the Pistons can't get anything done with Duren, the Bucks could be their one-way ticket out of this mess. Losing a rising star would hurt, but the collection of assets they could get in return would help ease the pain.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
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