With the Detroit Pistons' training camp set to open later this month, All-Star Jalen Duren remains at a stalemate with the team regarding his contract, and the latest offer is lower than Duren was looking for. On Tuesday, ESPN's NBA insider Tim McMahon reported the Pistons offered Duren a five-year $35 million deal, but Duren's side was looking for something "in excess" of $40 million. During Monday's "The Hoops Collective" podcast, McMahon called the situation with Duren and the Pistons is "basically just a staring contest that's continuing into September." He also said that while this situation has occurred with players like Josh Giddey in the past, it's "unprecedented" for it to happen between a team and an All-Star player who was also on the All-NBA Third Team.
More news: Fever Make Emphatic Statement About Caitlin Clark’s MVP Candidacy One option Duren and his side have beyond taking the Pistons' five-year, $35 million deal is to play the coming season under a $9.6 million qualifying offer. Per the Detroit Free Press, Duren and his side have until Oct. 1 to accept that qualifying offer. By doing so, he'd become an unrestricted free agent next season, when he could attempt to sign a max deal somewhere for four years.
However, McMahon said taking the qualifying offer would also mean Duren left "$170 million or more in guaranteed money" on the table. And according to McMahon, it's rare for players to take that qualifying offer, as only 21 players have done so since 1998. Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game as a major component of a Pistons team that won 60 games and claimed the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
It seems their hopes of continuing to contend rest on keeping Duren for the franchise's future, but he may end up going the free agent route. Detroit is hopeful it can maintain a core group of young players and provide a solid supporting cast around those players. The restrictive apron rules in the collective bargaining agreement have kept the Pistons standing firm on their negotiation and offers with Duren.
It was a breakout past season for Duren, and many believe he and his team should just take the offer. It remains to be seen if that is the case. With training camp opening on Sept. 29, that still gives the two sides about four weeks to come to some sort of agreement over Duren's status for the future.
More news: Brad Stevens Makes Eye-Opening Statement on Jaylen Brown’s Celtics Legacy For more about the Detroit Pistons and the NBA, visit Newsweek Sports.
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