The Pistons have refused to budge towards Jalen Duren's contract demands all offseason long, and just got the best vindication of that stance with the Nuggets' financial dilemma. Denver is now over the second apron, making them both the most expensive and most limited roster - all without clearing the first round of the playoffs last season. If the Pistons can't get Duren to come down from his high contract demands, they might soon find themselves in the same position.
The Pistons don't want to end up like the Nuggets
At least Denver got a championship out of their current core in 2023 because their highest-paid player (Nikola Jokic) played like the best player in the world and their second highest-paid player (Jamal Murray) also played like a clear All-NBA talent during that championship run. However, the Pistons can't be sure that their own highest-paid star Cade Cunningham will reach the same levels as Jokic and definitely can't be sure that Duren would show up in the postseason the same way as Murray.
So paying Duren what he wants could leave the Pistons stuck with a perennial playoff dropper on a huge deal and unable to bring in other stars to help. The Nuggets themselves needed other big contracts, most notably Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr, to compete for titles every season alongside their fearsome top duo. Detroit will probably need to build out a team in the same way for a real shot at championships.
The Pistons have wisely already made moves to maximize their return on cheaper contracts elsewhere on the roster, most notably choosing Paul Reed over Isaiah Stewart as their backup center. Winning on the margins with an inexpensive player like Reed should give them more flexibility to improve the roster elsewhere, but giving in to Duren's demands will erase that advantage entirely. Of course, it also helps that Reed is a great player who's outplayed his contract regularly, especially in the playoffs.
Duren could face a second apron reckoning soon
The Nuggets now face some harsh penalties under the second apron - their Mid-Level Exception is reduced, they can't aggregate salaries in a trade, and can't receive any players back at all in a sign-and-trade. All of this leads teams to be very cautious avoiding the second apron, and cautious about maxing out players like Duren.
Not only the Pistons but also other teams with cap space this offseason have hesitated to give Duren what he wants. The truth is that his playoff performances have yet to justify a max contract and the second apron structure will keep teams from taking such a big risk on him. Seeing the Nuggets' luxury tax penalty, which could balloon up to $238 million, will also keep teams away.
Duren needs to accept that he won't be able to get a max contract anywhere due to the modern CBA. Instead, he should work with the Pistons to find a mutually agreeable number that pays him well for his All-Star campaign without handicapping Detroit's roster-building ambitions. If he wants to be part of a winning team and secure a long-term future, that will be the best route.
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