The Detroit Pistons are suddenly faced with a massive Jalen Duren problem as he approaches free agency. Could the Los Angeles Lakers possibly offer the Pistons a solution? And is that solution named Austin Reaves?
The Pistons were not expecting to be punched in the mouth by the Orlando Magic of all teams, but here we are. The Magic have been stronger, tougher and more locked-in than Detroit through three games, and it's why they are up 2-1. Outside of one dazzling third quarter in Game 2, the Pistons have looked like the underdog, not the No. 1 seed playing the No. 8 seed.
Detroit has time to right the ship and take over the series, and given how lackluster the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors both look, they could still make the Eastern Conference Finals. Yet it will be hard to shake just how bad Jalen Duren has looked to start the playoffs.
Jalen Duren has been terrible
The All-Defense candidate at center has been bullied underneath on both ends of the court by the likes of Wendell Carter Jr. and Paolo Banchero. He has gone quiet offensively, scoring only nine points per game and shooting only 41.7 percent from the field after he shot 65 percent in the regular season. He has eight turnovers to six assists and has all-around looked out of place on the playoff stage.
There is time for Duren to recover and regain his All-NBA form in this postseason, but this picture is emblazoned into the minds of the Detroit front office. Can they truly pay him a max deal in restricted free agency this summer knowing this is a potential outcome?
At the same time, letting him walk to another team for nothing would be unthinkable. How do they navigate the situation to get fair value back for an All-NBA player without locking themselves into him as their second-best player?
Enter the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers could trade for Duren
The Lakers have been searching for a starting center since they traded for Luka Doncic, and Deandre Ayton has not been the answer. He is inconsistent on defense, shies away from contact and wants to shoot floaters instead of finishing at the rim. In other words, he is the opposite of Jalen Duren.
The Lakers would love to have Duren on their team, and they could potentially clear enough cap space to sign him to an offer sheet -- one that the Pistons would instantly match, however, as much as they may not want to be locked into that contract. If the Lakers actually want Duren, they need to trade for him.
Austin Reaves has blossomed into a capable sub-All-Star level perimeter scorer, and he would fit exactly what the Pistons need beside Cade Cunningham. He can exist on-ball or off-ball, is a dynamic shooter, and would ensure that Detroit is not so vulnerable to having Cade taken out of a playoff game with no one else to turn to.
Reaves likely has more value than Duren, especially after this playoff series, but he is hitting free agency himself, so a double sign-and-trade could be put together. Would the Pistons be comfortable trading Jalen Duren, Ron Holland and a first-round pick for Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton?
It's a big swing, but Detroit would have a well-rounded center rotation with Paul Reed, Isaiah Stewart and Ayton to replace Duren. They would still have the ammo to go after a frontcourt star. And they would have the dynamic backcourt they hoped to build when they drafted Jaden Ivey.
It's a big swing. It's a risky swing. It's an expensive swing. But in the end, perhaps it's the right swing.
Add us as a preferred source on Google