The Detroit Pistons are apparently on the verge of losing All-NBA center Jalen Duren as negotiations on a new contract have apparently reached a breaking point. It’s progressed to Duren planning to meet with the Sacramento Kings when free agency officially begins on Tuesday. That report comes from Chris Haynes. Earlier reports from The Athletic said Duren and the Pistons were far apart in negotiations and that Duren would look to engineer a sign-and-trade to secure a big payday outside Detroit.
“Due
to sizable distance apart in negotiations, Detroit Pistons restricted free agent center Jalen Duren will meet with the Sacramento Kings at the start of free agency with the intentions of structuring a sign-&-trade out of Detroit,” Haynes reported on social media.
Still just 22 years old, Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds while shooting 65% from the floor in his All-Star season with the Pistons. Because Duren made an All-NBA team, he is eligible for a supermax extension while it was reported the Pistons were angling to sign him for less than max with number floated at between $35-$40 million per year.
It’s important to note that the Pistons would need to find a deal construction that they are amenable to because the Kings don’t have the money to sign Duren in free agency. They are over the cap, so if Duren wants to sign with the Kings and the Kings want to sign Duren, they need to send assets back to Detroit.
While that gives Detroit considerable leverage, the Kings will be operating on the premise that a reunion between the Pistons and Duren would be untenable.
It’s also important to note that Duren only counts for half his new salary in a sign-and-trade deal, and that makes salary matching more complicated.
If the Kings sign Duren for $45 million, they will want to send $45 million back to Detroit, but only $22.5 million of that number would be applied to Duren. That would mean Detroit would attach more assets to send Sacramento’s way. I would imagine Caris LeVert would be a likely candidate.
So what assets do the Kings have to offer? They are awash in funky players and contracts. The conversation begins with Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento’s offensively gifted, defensively challenged center. He has two years of $45 million and $48 million remaining.
With the trade of Isaiah Stewart already locked in, losing Duren would mean Detroit would be looking at starting Paul Reed if they don’t make an addition at the big man spot. Sabonis
They also have DeMar DeRozan, an undersized veteran who could play power forward and handle some of the scoring and ball-handling load. He makes $25 million and only $10 million is guaranteed. Zach LaVine is an expiring $48 million deal and is yet another offensively gifted, defensively challenged player (to put it mildly).
Keegan Murray is a young piece that might provide some actual value, and he runs between $24 million and $31 million each of the next five seasons.
There is also nothing saying that this can’t be expanded to include multiple teams if a player like Murray or Sabonis isn’t what Detroit would be looking for. This also might be a bit of last-minute posturing as Detroit and Duren make their final plays before settling into a new long-term pact.
This is a developing story that has the potential to significantly alter the makeup of the Pistons. Stay tuned.
