The Pistons are in a tricky spot with Jalen Duren that most sign-and-trade options cannot solve, except for one idea involving the Milwaukee Bucks. Unfortunately for Detroit, the Bucks are not keen on parting ways with all three of Ryan Rollins, Myles Turner and a future first-round pick - which is what the Pistons would need in that deal.
From a Bucks perspective, the trade would be a disaster. They would be giving up arguably their best young player, a quality center fit for the modern game, and a valuable pick all before starting a rebuild. The Bucks would probably hesitate to make that trade for an established All-Star, let alone a player who just had a historic playoff drop.
The Pistons won’t get that lucky with Duren
At this point, the Pistons just need to accept that they’ve put themselves into a difficult position with Duren and find an amicable resolution. Neither side will get exactly what they want, but hopefully they can find a dollar (and years) amount that makes sense both ways. For now, the Pistons and Duren will likely be stuck with each other.
Looking around the league, Detroit is unlikely to find a suitable trade partner for Duren. Between his outdated playstyle and playoff drop, most teams won’t offer proper All-Star hauls in exchange for him. The Pistons will find it nearly impossible to get what they feel is proper value for his services, either from rebuilding teams or contenders.
Finding someone willing to pay Duren his desired contract amount will be another challenge. Since he made All-NBA last season, he is eligible for a super max extension but no team in their right mind will offer him that after his playoff showing. He’s been reportedly frustrated by the Pistons’ offers but he’s unlikely to find much better even on the open market.
The current NBA isn’t set up for a Duren trade
With the modern CBA, contending teams have a ton of trade restrictions depending on their team payrolls. Recently we saw the Nuggets give up Peyton Watson and receive no players back because they’re already over the second apron. The daunting apron system could be holding back other teams from trading for Duren as well.
In addition, the CBA also punishes teams harder than ever for costly mistakes. Overpaying players, especially on multi-year deals, can be a death sentence for a title window. No team wants to be the one that doomed its future for a shot at Jalen Duren, especially after a playoff disaster in his first All-Star season.
The Bucks are definitely in the same boat; they would rather focus on cheaper rebuilding options than sell the farm for Duren. He’s not enough of a proven asset or game-changer to force their hand, much to the Pistons’ dismay. Milwaukee would have had an ideal package for Duren, but unfortunately they probably aren’t even interested.
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