Jalen Duren

21. August 2026

Extension talks turn 'nasty'

Duren and the Pistons have seemingly not made any progress on a long-term extension, with Tim MacMahon of ESPN reporting that negotiations have been "nasty."

Analyse

MacMahon didn't elaborate on just how bad things have been between the two sides and isn't sure if Duren plans to sign an extension. The 2022 No. 13 overall pick spent his first four years with Detroit, though he is coming off his most productive campaign to date, averaging a career-high 19.5 points along with 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 28.2 minutes per showing across 70 regular-season games in 2025-26. Additionally, he earned his first All-Star nod. However, it was a different story during the postseason, with the 22-year-old averaging 10.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 blocks over 30.1 minutes per game in 14 playoff appearances. There are several directions this situation can go, including Duren agreeing to the proposed contract of roughly $35-$38 million annually. He can also accept a one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent next summer. While there is still time for progress to be made, both sides are likely running out of patience, which won't improve the chances of Duren remaining in Detroit beyond the 2026-27 campaign.