When free agency first opened up way back in June, the Pistons were in the hunt for Austin Reaves, which forced the Lakers to re-sign him on a huge 4-year/$185 million deal. But Los Angeles got their revenge on Detroit by entertaining Jalen Duren in sign-and-trade talks before eventually pivoting to Walker Kessler. Those talks fueled Duren's steadfast belief in his worth as a max contract player and have kept his re-signing with the Pistons in limbo even until August.
The Lakers poisoned the well for Detroit
Even before the offseason, it was clear that the Lakers needed an upgrade at the center position so Duren was a natural target. He would have been a great fit next to Luka Doncic for many of the same reasons he's so good next to Cade Cunningham; both guards are elite at throwing lobs and setting up their big men.
But as Duren's negotiations drag on and more reports come out about the Lakers' offseason plans, it becomes more apparent that their main target was Walker Kessler all along. The former Jazz big man is less proven in the league than Duren, who earned All-Star and All-NBA honors last season, but is a notably superior defender. The Lakers are smartly valuing solid play on that end more in tandem with Doncic, who can elevate even middling offensive centers to great results but can be a defensive liability himself.
Kessler was eventually signed for a 4-year/$130 million deal, an average annual value of $32.5 million. The Pistons would be comfortable inking Duren to a contract with an annual value just a little more than that, in the $35-38 million range. However, Duren is now likely to demand more after seeing what Kessler got; after all, Duren has accomplished much more on the court than Kessler so far in their young careers.
LA also got to keep their guy without much fuss
Even better news for the Lakers was how smoothly they handled negotiations with Reaves. Although Reaves has never made an All-Star or All-NBA team of his own, he's played at that level for extended stretches. Last season, he averaged 23 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists per game. He could easily live up to the value of his new contract, even though it is eye-catching on paper.
The Pistons hoped that Reaves could be a perfect backcourt running mate for Cade Cunningham. Reaves' versatile offensive skills would have made him an ideal costar capable of playing off the ball normally and running the offense himself on occasion. With him off the market, the Pistons have instead shifted to other trade options without the same juice.
Zooming out on their respective offseasons, it's hard not to see the Lakers as a big winner over the Pistons in the Reaves/Duren saga. Not only did the Lakers secure their real priorities, they also did so with enough time to snag solid free agents afterwards. On the other hand, the Pistons have had their entire free agency timeline messed up by Duren's ongoing standoff.
We may never know if the Lakers intentionally sought to contaminate Duren's contract negotiations as revenge for the Pistons' interest in Reaves. But the end effect is the same: the Pistons are stuck in an ugly contract dispute heading into a crucial season for their young core while the Lakers have enjoyed a successful retooling around Luka Doncic.
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