Jalen Duren and the Detroit Pistons are nearing a decision that will go a long way toward determining the future of the franchise. 2025-26 marks the final season on Duren's rookie-scale contract, making talks of an extension or a new deal in 2026 a focal point for both player and team.
If Duren is going to make upward of $100 million, as the market suggests he will, then the Pistons need him to answer a key question: Who is he becoming as a player?
It sounds simple, but with Duren, the trajectory of his career is difficult to decipher. He's shown flashes of being able to impose his will on opposing defenses, both as a rebounder and an offensive player who can score and facilitate.
Unfortunately, Duren has also struggled to display consistency as a scorer and hasn't yet established himself as the defensive anchor many hope he can be.
As such, that simple question has suddenly become complex—and has thus sprouted additional inquiries. Can Duren create his own offense on a consistent basis? Is he capable of defending at the level Detroit needs him to?
Each of those questions boils down to just one that Duren needs to answer: Who is he becoming?
Who is Jalen Duren becoming as a player?
The flashes of brilliance have been nothing short of mesmerizing. Duren has gone the length of the court as the primary ball-handler, posted opponents up and finished through contact, and displayed impressive footwork when he gets the ball inside.
If Duren can turn those moments of greatness into nightly standards, then the Pistons shouldn't hesitate to give him the money he's asking for.
Duren's ball-handling and playmaking can be reminiscent of Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo in the way he can bring the ball up, initiate a set, or even pass a teammate open. His strength in the post, as well as his footwork and ability to play above the rim from a flat-footed stance, is a throwback to bigs of yesteryear and gives him a unique path to genuine interior dominance.
Compounded by the fact that he ranked No. 4 in the NBA in offensive rebounding percentage, Duren has the tools become one of the most overwhelming interior forces in the Association.
Unfortunately, Duren's flashes of brilliance have been exactly that: Brief moments in which his upside is revealed. He averaged a mere 0.2 points via post-ups per game in 2025-26, saw his free-throw percentage decrease by 12.1 percent, and committed 4.4 fouls per 36 minutes.
He made progress as a passer, increasing his average to 3.7 assists per 36 minutes while decreasing his turnovers to 2.4, but his minutes decreased from 29.1 per game to 26.1 for a reason.
Duren needs to defend without fouling, post up with a more determined mentality, and turn 69.2 percent shooting from the field into something that's more than just efficient. He's excellent as a lob target, but he has more to his game than that—or so it seems.
If Duren fails to prove that he can take the next step in his development as a two-way player with a well-rounded skill set, the Pistons will have a hard time justifying a price tag over $100 million.