The Detroit Pistons are 6-2 and continue to rank No. 1 in the NBA in defensive rating. With that in mind, it's easy to argue that Jalen Duren's absence hasn't hurt Detroit all that significantly. Those who love a good hot take might even argue it's proof that he was overpaid.
When looking at the more granular details of the Pistons' play in 2025-26, however, it's clear that they miss Duren and were thus right to do what they had to in order to keep him in town.
Detroit closed out the 2026 offseason by re-signing Duren to a five-year, $200 million contract. It was a gamble on several fronts, particularly after the big man turned in an underwhelming 2026 postseason with averages of 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
Duren offered instant comfort with 22 points in 28 minutes in the 2026-27 season opener, but he suffered a hamstring strain in the Pistons' second game and has missed the six outings since.
Detroit has gone 4-2 during that time, which is nothing to scoff at. What they've proven along the way, however, is that Duren's average annual salary of $40 million was at least partially calculated based on how he excels in areas they otherwise struggle.
That includes the fact that their offense has been erratic, their rebounding has been unreliable, and their ability to score inside has been limited.
Pistons playing without Jalen Duren is showing how badly they need him
Through six games without Duren, the Pistons rank No. 15 in the NBA in points in the paint per game. That's by no means horrible, but Detroit ranked No. 7 in the Association in the same statistic in 2025-26—when Duren played 70 games and led the team with 10.0 per contest on his own.
That dip in volume has played a significant part in Detroit ranking No. 21 in offensive rating without Duren. That's a sharp decline from finishing No. 9 in 2025-26.
Detroit has also ranked No. 28 in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game in its six outings without Duren. Considering Duren boasts a career average of 3.5 offensive rebounds per contest and 4.6 per 36 minutes, it's safe to say they miss his presence.
That's further proven by the fact that Detroit ranked No. 3 in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game in 2025-26, with Duren at the forefront of their success.
Detroit's struggling to replace Jalen Duren with him out
Clearly, Duren proving to be worth his new salary and cap hit will come down to how he individually performs. What's being established with him out, however, is that a part of what the Pistons were paying for was a resolution to potential issues inside.
Paul Reed has done a more than admirable job as a spot starter, of course, but these problems persist because of how strong of an impact Duren makes in the first place.
The good news is that Duren will soon be reevaluated and could thus make his return sooner than later. What's unavoidable at this stage, however, is that his impact on the Pistons is profound enough that questions about his contract at least require the context of what makes him worth a lofty investment.
There's still a long season to be played, but even this six-game sample size has revealed how important Duren is to the Pistons.
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