The Houston Rockets signed Amen Thompson to a massive contract extension this summer. He inked a five-year, $208 million contract to stay with the organization. It’s a massive deal, though not quite as much as he could have signed for. And it could actually help set the standard for what the Detroit Pistons could give Jalen Duren this summer.
Duren and the Pistons have yet to come to an agreement on a new contract. The big man is a restricted free agent, but the Pistons still need to bring him back. Thompson has been a more trusted player in the postseason than Duren, and even though they don’t play the same position, it’s fairly clear who the more impactful player has been (it’s probably Thompson).
That said, Duren is the All-Star. An All-NBA player. And based on where the Pistons are, he’s important. So starting him off at around the same number as Thompson could make sense, though Detroit may not want to do that.
Amen Thompson contract could help set standard for Jalen Duren
Thompson has one more year left on his rookie contract, and then his new, five-year deal will kick in. He’s set to make $35.9 million in the first season of his new contract.
Ime Udoka has thrown Thompson into the deep end time and time again. Thompson plays a ton of minutes, and in the postseason, he even jumped up to 44.0 minutes per contest.
Duren, on the other hand, struggled to stay on the court in the postseason this year. There were times when JB Bickerstaff even decided to play Paul Reed over him because of his struggles.
That’s not everything. There’s more context involved when it comes to handing out extensions, but if Thompson signed for that much, it at least sets some sort of market for complementary stars. And that’s what Duren is.
So, should the Pistons be willing to hand Duren a contract that’s worth around $40 million per season? Because that’s what the Rockets just gave Thompson this summer.
For the Pistons, something around the $35 million mark is probably ideal. That’s how much a high-level role player makes, and although Duren made All-NBA, his postseason performance was a reality check.
But the Pistons cannot afford to lose him. And even though Thompson is more of a trusted role player at this point in time, Detroit’s lack of center depth should probably push them to around the same $40 million AAV mark Thompson signed for.
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