The Pistons' concerns about offering a max contract to Jalen Duren aren't going away any time soon, which has left them in a bind for adding talent this offseason. However, the Pelicans could be a team to offer both a coveted trade return for Duren and have interest in him as a max player. On a recent episode of the Game Theory podcast, host Sam Vecenie proposed a trade sending Jalen Duren to the Pelicans with the Pistons receiving Trey Murphy III in return.
The Pistons could look into moving on from Duren
If Duren seriously considers playing out next season on a qualifying offer, the Pistons would need to find a potential trade partner for him rather than losing him for nothing in a year. Ironically, that could be the exact move to land them a long sought-after piece in Murphy, if they can come to an agreement with New Orleans.
Obviously the Pelicans have demanded a huge trade return for Murphy all throughout the offseason, which has led to him not being moved. However, their front office in Troy Weaver and Joe Dumars were the ones who originally traded up to draft Duren to Detroit 4 years ago. They were clearly high on him during the 2022 Draft and have now seen him exceed all expectations with an All-Star selection and All-NBA spot last season.
For the Pelicans, a pivot from Murphy to Duren would make sense as it would bring a younger player with higher upside into their rebuild. On the other hand, the Pistons would finally get the secondary perimeter scorer they've long craved, whose off-ball scoring ability has long been touted as a missing piece in Detroit. Additionally, the Pistons still have some other options to hold down the fort at center in the meantime if they trade Duren.
Only the Pelicans can help the Pistons at this point
Considering Duren's colossal playoff meltdown, it's generally considered a bad idea around the league to entertain giving him something close to a max contract. But the Pelicans have made some other ill-advised moves in the last couple years and seem unbound by conventional NBA wisdom. Their interest and poor financial decision-making already made them a prime candidate to take on Duren, but Murphy's addition adds another cherry on top for the Pistons.
Murphy could instantly help the Pistons become a true playoff contender, as long as they have enough depth at the center position to replace Duren. His deep shooting ability, lob-catching and disruptive defense would fit right in next to Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson. There's a reason he's been such a dream addition in Detroit for years.
Additionally, Murphy would also give the Pistons a lot of financial flexibility compared to Duren, who reportedly wants a 5-year contract north of $50 million per season. In comparison, Murphy is making about $29 million per season for the next 3 years. With the money saved between the two, Detroit could another high-level starter to round out their lineup and compete for championships.
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