Tomorrow marks the deadline for the Detroit Pistons to sign extensions with Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren and there appears to be no movement at all.
According to insider Marc Stein (subscription):
"Sources say neither first-round pick for the Pistons has generated much momentum on a new deal with Detroit to this point in the process."
For now, both the team and players seem comfortable heading into the season without extensions, which would make both players restricted free agents at the end of the season.
This certainly doesn't mean they won't be back or that they'll be traded, but having this hanging over the team isn't ideal and they'll be facing a much different media landscape than the one they enjoyed last season because of it.
The Pistons have less than a day to cut a deal, and if they don't, you have to wonder how they view the future of the Pistons' current core.
Jaden Ivey
After suffering another injury that will keep him out for at least a month, it's not surprising the Pistons aren't comfortable extending Ivey.
But it's not going to be easy to trade him either, especially if he's out for an extended time, so this is a tough situation for Detroit, as Ivey likely would generate interest from someone in restricted free agency and the Pistons don't want to lose him for nothing.
I really hope Ivey recovers on time and makes a significant contribution to this team, but I would be lying if I said I didn't have any doubts about his future. If the Pistons play well without him, I'd not be surprised to see Ivey traded at the deadline.
Jalen Duren
With Duren, it seems to be all about the numbers, as he is looking for upwards of $30 million a year according to Stein, and the Pistons are likely nowhere near that number and they shouldn't be.
While Duren has flashed improved defense and a more versatile offensive game in preseason, he has to prove he can do this for a whole season to get $30+ million a year. Right now, he's an elite rebounder who is not a great defender and has little offensive game outside of dunking. Sound familiar?
The Pistons got burned by giving Andre Drummond a max deal under similar circumstances and can't make that mistake with Duren.
The Pistons are willing to play this game of chicken, hoping Duren proves himself and they are happy to pay him, but what if that doesn't happen? This is leading to a potentially ugly offseason next year if these two sides are still far apart.
We are talking about 40 percent of the Pistons' starting five, so this is no small deal, and while failing to sign extensions doesn't mean these players aren't part of the plans, it does create some drama and put the current iteration of the core at risk.