The contract situations between Brandon Miller and Jalen Duren are completely different, but it’s hard not to compare their value when the final numbers ended up so close. Duren inked a 5-year extension for $200 million earlier this month, and Miller has now signed a similar deal for 5 years and $209 million kicking in next year.
Duren has surely proven more so far in his NBA tenure after his All-Star and All-NBA selections last season, but the Hornets were willing to bet on Miller’s archetype of a big forward with great shooting. It’s a build that’s been successful among many top stars recently, but Miller hasn’t quite shown the consistent two-way play to justify being in the same tier as Duren just yet.
The Pistons got a solid deal on Duren
As much as Duren’s playoff performance left a bad taste, there was still plenty of reason to pay him on his new contract. Duren will have further opportunities to prove his worth with improvements on both ends in a bigger role this season. The Pistons will ask him to do even more than his prior All-Star production.
Already, Duren’s role in the Pistons’ success last season is being downplayed. The national media has seemingly forgotten that he was the second star for Detroit during a 60-win season. Duren dominated over the course of the regular season, both in his pick-and-roll with Cade Cunningham and in more self-created scoring chances.
The Pistons drove a hard bargain to eventually land Duren at his extension numbers. $50 million per season for a player that disappeared in the playoffs sounds like a ton, but it's also seemingly the going rate for young players who might eventually become All-Stars. Amen Thompson also got a very similar deal to Miller, at 5 years and $208 million.
Miller is a much bigger risk on his extension
The Hornets are trusting Miller to lead their franchise after trading away LaMelo Ball this season, but Miller hasn't proven much as a primary option yet. Charlotte's best record during his 3 seasons was last season at 44-38, which was only good enough for a play-in loss. Even then, the team's success was arguably more driven by Ball's playmaking and rookie Kon Knueppel's outrageous 3-point shooting than Miller's contributions.
Miller, to his credit, has averaged over 20 points per game in two straight seasons. But he doesn't provide much else on the court; he's never cleared 5 rebounds or 4 assists per game in his career. He's not known to be a strong defender either, so the Hornets' bet on his new contract depends entirely on his scoring and future growth.
They can afford to be wrong, since they don't have immediate championship aspirations like the Pistons. But a 5-year max contract is still a huge risk either way. Duren's deal sure looks like a fair wager for the Pistons now that riskier players are getting the same money.
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