The Pistons’ path to figuring out Jalen Duren’s contract extension may have gotten a bit easier after the Bulls traded for Nicholas Claxton. Chicago was always a threat to use their cap space to extend an offer for Duren, but has now taken themselves out of the race.
Simplifying Duren’s extension (and possibly getting a bigger discount on it) should help the Pistons throughout their offseason. Even when it comes to other free agents or trade targets, the Pistons will have added flexibility once they lock down Duren.
The Bulls did the Pistons a huge favorÂ
Not only did Chicago take themselves out of the running for Duren, but they also helped eliminate another would-be suitor in the Nets. As part of that same three-team trade, Brooklyn takes on Julius Randle’s contract and limits their own cap flexibility to extend Duren a competitive offer.
The Timberwolves did gain some cap space by sending out Randle, but they quickly used it to extend Ayo Dosunmu. His departure from the free agent market was an expected but painful loss for the Pistons. However, the added leverage for Detroit in Duren’s negotiation could pay even better dividends.
There is still one team left which could offer Duren a competitive contract: the Los Angeles Lakers. But the Lakers have their own free agent mess on their hands with Austin Reaves, which should take them out of the Duren market. In total, that leaves the Pistons as practically the only team capable and willing to sign Duren on a long-term deal.
The Pistons can’t mess up Duren’s deal
With all of this added leverage, the Pistons need to make sure they get a reasonable discount on Duren’s extension. He’s still very young and coming off his first All-Star and All-NBA selection, but Duren’s playoff shortcomings raised serious questions. His current play style clearly has limitations and the Pistons can’t afford to spend too much on him without seeing proof of concept in the playoffs.
Other teams, including championship winners and contenders, have found ways to move off bad contracts for young players. But that usually takes a stroke of luck on finding the right target or attaching additional assets to move on. And figuring out a deal to move off bad money can waste years from a team’s contending core.
If the Pistons want to avoid those potential pain points, they must act proactively now. Duren should still get a deal that rewards him for being a top 10 center in the league, but it can’t be a crippling one that will hold Detroit back if he fails to improve. Thankfully, the Pistons are now in the perfect position to figure out an ideal contract.
Add us as a preferred source on Google