The Detroit Pistons got calls from the Los Angeles Lakers about Jalen Duren at the trade deadline, but nothing ever materialized after Detroit told them to get lost.
The Athletic's Jovan Buha first reported that the Lakers inquired about Duren, and it likely won't be the last time, as LA is still looking for a center to pair with Luka Doncic.
They thought they had their guy in Mark Williams before the traded was nixed and he headed back to Charlotte after failing a physical.
For their part, the Pistons have never said anything about trading Duren and appear happy with their 21-year-old center moving forward.
With multiple young players at guard, wing and center, the Pistons may feel they are a power forward away from having the roster they are going to compete for titles with for the foreseeable future, and they might be right.
Duren improved this season, especially after the first 25 games, and played huge minutes in the playoffs. He wasn’t perfect, but the bones of a very good player are there, and at the very least, he’s an elite lob threat and rebounder.
The question is how much the Pistons should pay for a center who has not yet shown he can be a defensive anchor, nor do much on offense except dunk and throw a nice bounce pass to a cutter.
They’ll have to answer that question this summer, as Duren is up for an extension, which is why teams like the Lakers think they might be able to steal him away.
What would a Duren trade look like? And would it actually benefit the Pistons?
Jalen Duren trade to the Lakers is not that exciting for the Pistons
Duren would likely garner around the same return that Mark Williams was going to get for the Hornets, so a deal starting with Dalton Knecht and a first-round pick.
On paper, this isn’t terrible for Detroit, as they do need more shooting on the wing, which Knecht should provide. But Knecht is already three years older than Duren, so how much improvement can you really expect? Knecht may round into a very nice scorer, but he does not project to be an All-Star, while Duren might, given that he is only 21 and already has playoff experience under his belt.
The first-round pick isn’t likely to be a good one now that the Lakers have Luka, as he alone sets a floor for a team that is above the lottery.
This would only appeal to Detroit if they were hesitant to give Duren an extension and thought they could replace his production for less of a cap hit.
The other scenario would be the Pistons trying to upgrade the position by chasing someone like Myles Turner in free agency. If the Pistons could flip Duren for a shooter, then add a stretch five who blocks shots, they might be willing to discuss losing their 21-year-old big.
But that seems like a long shot, and all indications are that the Pistons like their young center and want to bring him back. If they can’t work out an extension both sides can live with this summer, we might start hearing some rumors, but until then, I expect Duren to be back in Detroit next season.