Detroit Pistons: 5 hot takes from Summer League 2023
Detroit Pistons: 5 hot takes from Summer League 2023
Jalen Duren will be top-10 in double-doubles next season
Jalen Duren looked great in Summer League, leading the team with 20 points per game and adding nearly 10 rebounds.
He still has big time work to do on the defensive end if he wants to be a top center, but considering he’s just 19-years-old, there is plenty to be excited about.
Duren averaged 9.1 points and 8.9 rebounds in 67 games this past season for the Detroit Pistons while recording 19 double-doubles. He’s a long way from 43, which is what the 10th spot (Trae Young) had last season and a very long way from Nikola Jokic, who led the league with an incredible 76 double-doubles when you include the playoffs.
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But Duren should have more opportunities for easy buckets, dunks and lobs next season with Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey drawing the attention of defenses and more spacing with shooters around them. He also showcased a little jumper, and while I don’t think we’ll be seeing a ton of it next season, it does give hope that a more developed offensive repertoire is coming.
Head coach Monty Williams is also going to be on him to be more aggressive and effective on the defensive boards, as he only averaged 5.5 defensive rebounds per game, a number that needs to go up. The Pistons’ young bigs (Duren and Wiseman) hunt offensive rebounds like maniacs but need to have that same effort on the defensive end when they can close out possessions with a board.
We should see a leap from Duren in this area, which will lead to him racking up the double-doubles next season.