Pistons draft: Could Detroit take one of the top centers?

2022 NBA Draft: Jalen Duren’s weaknesses

Offensively, Duren is extremely limited outside of the restricted area. With so much of his game being centered around his physical tools and athleticism, Duren is still relatively raw on the offensive end from a self-creation standpoint.

Outside of generating second-chance opportunities, many of Duren’s points came from lobs, dump-offs, and putbacks. While these will always be viable options for Duren at the next level, the next step on offense will likely be finding a consistent, go-to shot, such as a mid-range jumper or a hook shot to complement the rest of his game, and to begin expanding his repertoire around the paint area.

Additionally, finding ways to operate with his back to the basket, and continuing to work on finishing at the rim with both hands will be another important part of his development. Even if he doesn’t become a legitimate threat outside of the paint, Duren’s evolution on offense can still consist of adding an effective post-up game, and continuing to build upon the glimpses of savvy footwork he showed at Memphis.

With such gifted physical traits at his disposal, Duren has all the tools to become an efficient offensive threat, but will likely require significant patience and time as he figures out how to utilize his intangibles at the next level.

On offense, another area for improvement for Duren is free-throw shooting. Last season at Memphis, the center shot 62.5 percent from the charity stripe, on 3.6 free-throw attempts per game.

This glaring number will likely require immediate attention, and play a deciding factor in Duren’s minutes throughout the course of his rookie year. Becoming a respectable free-throw shooter is imperative for big men who see heavy minutes, and if Duren finds ways to impact games in the same magnitude he did at Memphis, his presence will be needed.