Pistons' Langdon Hasn't Spoken to Jalen Duren, Hints at Troubled Relationship with Zion Williamson

The biggest storyline for the Detroit Pistons this offseason has been the lack of a new contract for Jalen Duren, and the team's president of basketball operations, Trajan Langdon, gave some insight into how disconnected he has been with the young player.

At Pistons media day on Monday, Langdon said that he and Duren, a restricted free agent, haven't spoken directly all summer, per The Athletic's Hunter Patterson. Langdon added, however, that he is looking forward to having Duren back on the roster, whether that is through him accepting the $9.6 million qualifying offer or signing a long-term deal.

While discussing Duren, Langdon alluded to his relationship with Zion Williamson when he was the general manager of the New Orleans Pelicans.

"I was in New Orleans for five years with a certain player that wasn't easy to deal with either," Langdon said. "We can control what we can control, and that's how we operate."

Patterson noted that Langdon was at the helm in New Orleans when the team included a weight clause in Williamson's 2022 extension. The Pistons' latest offer to Duren was a five-year, $200 million deal that included a weight clause, according to a report from The Athletic.

Duren has until Thursday to accept the qualifying offer from the Pistons, though Detroit can extend that deadline. ESPN's Shams Charania reported Monday that Duren will not attend the start of camp after rejecting the Pistons' latest offer.

Duren proved his worth with an All-NBA season last year, but a poor showing in the playoffs perhaps has Detroit wary of giving him the full five-year, $287 million deal he's eligible for.

With the season swiftly approaching, it wouldn't be surprising to see Duren settle for the qualifying offer and try his luck in unrestricted free agency next year.