The Detroit Pistons lost to the Orlando Magic on Saturday afternoon as Jalen Duren continued to struggle. Detroit’s second-leading scorer during the regular season fouled out after 27 minutes of action. Duren had just eight points on three of ten shooting from the field. The 6’10 big man got to the line only two times. He has everyone in a panic about this series and his future.
The eight-seeded Magic are up 2-1 on the top-seeded Pistons. Wendell Carter Jr. has won the battle against Duren in this series. That can’t happen when Duren is supposed to be the Pistons’ second star. Carter Jr. was Orlando’s sixth-leading scorer this season.
Duren bet on himself before the season. He didn’t sign an extension in hopes of landing a massive contract as a restricted free agent this summer. This series has only hurt his value and should have Pistons fans worried. If some team swoops in with a massive offer, can Detroit match it? This series would suggest no.
Jalen Duren panic meter is rising for the Pistons
Duren had nine rebounds and five blocks in Game 3, but everything else was a problem. Cade Cunningham took 23 shots. Tobias Harris had 16 with Duren taking ten. The Pistons can’t win this series with Harris as the second scorer. They need Duren to do what he did during the regular season, but the 22-year-old can’t get going.
What’s going on with Jalen Duren? pic.twitter.com/03SD7FgKpx
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 25, 2026
Duren isn’t going to be satisfied being paid like a starting center. The 22-year-old is an All-Star and wants to be compensated like one. That is going to be difficult to justify after this series. Duren has taken 24 shots and 11 free throws in three games. Harris has been forced to step up with 48 field goal attempts and 15 freebies.
Things are complicated here. The Pistons don’t want to lose Duren for nothing. He is a restricted free agent, but Detroit isn’t getting a massive haul from another team. They should have already traded the 6’10 big man if they wanted to move on.
The Pistons have to figure out this situation. They need a number two option behind Cade Cunningham if they are going to make multiple deep playoff runs and win a championship. Duren is only 22 years old. He could still improve and blossom into this piece. That doesn’t look likely after this series.
Can the Pistons get Duren to sign a contract worth $30 million per year? That would make him the eighth-highest-paid center in the league. Duren will certainly want more, and some team will offer a massive deal. If the Pistons have to make him one of the NBA’s highest-paid big men, that could backfire.
The Detroit Pistons should be panicked on multiple fronts. They are trailing the Orlando Magic in their first-round playoff series, with Jalen Duren struggling mightily. The big man is a free agent this summer and needs a new deal. Figuring out if he’s the second star and how much he is worth should be the top priorities for Detroit.
There are more questions than answers, and that should have the Pistons terrified. The panic level will keep rising if the struggles continue. All fans can do is stay tuned to see how it all plays out.
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