The Detroit Pistons knew Jalen Duren extension talks would be problematic, but they got even more difficult after he was named third-team All-NBA on Sunday night. The 22-year-old big man is now eligible to sign a five-year contract worth $278.1 million this summer. The All-NBA nod increased his max deal by $47.8 million, but his playoff struggles have everyone in Detroit questioning just how much Duren is actually worth.
The max deal Duren can sign with another team is four years for $177.4 million. Bobby Marks wisely pointed out that this last happened with Deandre Ayton. He got a max extension offer from the Pacers that the Suns eventually matched. Will Detroit match an offer that pays Duren over $44 million per year?
The All-Star big man is a restricted free agent this summer for a reason. Detroit didn’t extend him before the season. They watched Duren break out during the regular season, but struggled in the playoffs. The Pistons want to build a title contender around Cade Cunningham, which makes things even more difficult. Trajan Langdon is saying the right things, but the Pistons may not bring Duren back.
Jalen Duren’s future with the Pistons is up in the air after All-NBA honor
The Pistons want Duren back at the right price. Their ideal range is $30-35 million per year. This honor like pushes that slightly higher, but they can’t be paying someone whose impact goes down in the playoffs $40 million every season. Sadly for the Pistons, some other team will give him a max offer in restricted free agency.
A 22-year-old big man who just made All-NBA is rarely available. Teams would love to steal him away, even if it means giving him a massive contract. Even LeBron James thinks Duren’s poor playoffs was not what fans can expect from him moving forward.
Lebron James on Jalen Duren this season
— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) May 23, 2026
“Jalen Duren, you know, had a great year, all-star this year. He's still a young talent, and he's going to have his moment where the lights probably won't feel too bright to him, and he'll shine through. So that's all part of the… pic.twitter.com/3ULPy1Fbhg
The Pistons have to decide how much they are willing to pay. Duren will get a max offer from another team. Does Detroit match it? Can they convince the 6’10 big man to take a bit less to help the Pistons contend? There is no clarity.
Duren’s representation can ask for more money after he made third-team All-NBA at 22 years old. They likely aren’t looking to take much of a discount for one of the 15 best players in the NBA this season. The Pistons will have to get their checkbook out to pay Duren. It will be more than they want to give out, but keeping young talent is always expensive.
Do not be surprised to see Jalen Duren sign a four-year max offer sheet with another team and force the Pistons to match it. That won’t be an easy decision for Detroit, but Duren deserves it. He broke out on his rookie contract and made third-team All-NBA. The success increased his contract and should give the Pistons even more reason to lock him up long-term.
The Detroit Pistons have a difficult decision to make on Duren. It all should come down to which version they believe is real. If it is the regular-season production, the Pistons should pay him. Fans will find out soon enough, so stay tuned.
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