New Jalen Duren Rumors Reveal Sign-and-Trade Possibilities amid Pistons Contract Talks

Coming off a disappointing postseason run, Jalen Duren and the Detroit Pistons are once again struggling to figure out a contract that works for both sides.

Per The Athletic's Sam Amick, Duren is planning to explore sign-and-trade scenarios in restricted free agency after being "underwhelmed" by the initial offer he received from Detroit.

Despite being eligible to extend off his rookie contract last offseason, ESPN's Tim Bontemps reported last November there was "virtually no talk" between Duren and the Pistons before the Oct. 20 deadline in part because they were "pretty far apart in price."

It's unclear exactly how wide the gap between Duren and the Pistons is right now, but Amick described it as "large enough" that the All-Star center is exploring his options.

One reason the negotiations could prove to be challenging is Duren's inclusion on the All-NBA third team this past season. That made him eligible for a contract that could top out at $287.1 million over five years.

Based on how Duren played in the regular season, it would have seemed like a no-brainer that the Pistons would pay him. He averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game to help Detroit win 60 games and finish as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The postseason was disastrous for Duren, whose production dropped to 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in 14 starts. He was benched for the entire overtime period in a 117-113 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Even though Duren was far from the only Pistons player to struggle in the playoffs, he was positioned as the co-star alongside Cade Cunningham that could carry them.

There are benefits for both the Pistons and Duren to letting him explore the restricted free-agent market. From the Pistons' perspective, they can let another team negotiate a contract to determine if they want to match or not.

Duren gets the opportunity to see how the rest of the NBA values him, then can present that to the Pistons.

Amick noted the Pistons "likely would" match an offer sheet Duren receives, but the possibility of a sign-and-trade with several notable players like Jaylen Brown, Kawhi Leonard and Tyler Herro potentially being available does open up the possibility for something significant to happen in Detroit.