New NBA Rumors on Jalen Duren's Projected Pistons Contract Extension After Playoff Struggles

Despite a disappointing playoff run for the Detroit Pistons that likely cost him a shot at a full max contract, Jalen Duren is still expected to end up with a lucrative new deal this summer.

Per The Athletic's Hunter Patterson, there's a "general sense" around the NBA that the Pistons and Duren will eventually agree to terms on a five-year deal in the range of $200-$220 million.

When the regular season ended, Duren seemed like a lock to get a max deal from Detroit. He averaged a career-high 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, was selected to the All-Star team and third-team All-NBA.

A first-round pick in the 2022 NBA draft, Duren was eligible to sign an extension last offseason. The Pistons and Duren reportedly never came close to getting a deal done before the rookie extension deadline on Oct. 20 because he was seeking more than $30 million per season.

Duren added to his value by improving his play during the 10-game stretch late in the season when Cade Cunningham was out due to a collapsed lung. He averaged 22.0 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game from March 19 through April 6. Detroit went 8-2 to maintain the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Things turned sharply for Duren throughout the Pistons' playoff run. He didn't score more than 15 points in 14 games, including being benched in the fourth quarter and overtime of a Game 5 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round.

Making the All-NBA team made Duren, who is set to become a restricted free agent, eligible for a supermax deal worth up to $287 million over five years from the Pistons.

The playoff issues for Duren led to speculation about his future with the Pistons. ESPN's Tim Bontemps did note his close relationship with Cade Cunningham will likely help him secure a big contract from the club.

Duren is only 22 and has improved every year of his career, so there are reasons for the Pistons to believe he is only scratching the surface of his potential as they look to build on their team success this season.

The Pistons' 60 wins in the regular season were their most since 2005-06. They won a playoff series for the first time since reaching the 2008 Eastern Conference Finals.