The Detroit Pistons want to keep free agent Jalen Duren, but by some of their actions, it's hard to tell. With Duren's deadline to sign the qualifying offer approaching after the big man recently declined the Pistons' $200 million offer, there will be growing chatter about whether Detroit's best bet would be to trade the big man to an interested team like the Milwaukee Bucks.
Pistons may have screwed themselves here
Detroit's approach to keeping their All-Star and All-NBA center has been... strange. It's not how most teams would treat one of their stars.
First off, while they did offer him a five-year deal worth $200 million, The Athletic's Sam Amick and Hunter Patterson (subscription required) report that the Pistons included a weight clause in the deal that would require check-ins. Per the pair, that came as a surprise to Duren and his camp, given that he's built like a freight train.
Second, despite his success with the All-Star and All-NBA nods, perhaps part of the reason Detroit has been reluctant to commit financially throughout his entire process is that they don't think Duren is even the team's second-best player. ESPN's Vince Goodwill reported that Ausar Thompson is who many in the organization think holds that title, despite Duren's success.
All of this had led to Duren holding out, with a sense of "disrespect" undoubtedly playing a part, as noted by Amick and Patterson (subscription required) in a separate report.
While the Pistons have signaled that they want to keep their star, each passing day that Duren goes without signing is a bad sign.
Bucks could end this drama-filled saga
The Milwaukee Bucks are rumored to have interest in the big man, and if the Pistons finally start at least listening to sign-and-trade inquiries, this could all end soon. Milwaukee has a freshly stocked asset cabinet full of desirable picks and players that could make it easier for the Pistons to stomach losing their star center.
A decision will likely be made this week. Duren has until Thursday to sign the qualifying offer, which is seemingly a legitimate option after turning down a $200 million offer. If he truly feels disrespected by Detroit amid all of this, Duren could take one of the biggest risks in NBA history by betting on himself and playing next year on a cheap deal, hoping to get paid next summer.
Or Detroit could end all of this drama with a trade now.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
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