When Trajan Landgon spoke about Jalen Duren’s inevitable contract extension this summer, rather than only saying how excited he is to have him back, he mentioned meeting with his representation. It may seem small, but it also may have been the Pistons’ subtle way of addressing the elephant in the room.
Had Duren performed great in the playoffs, then there wouldn’t be a ton of questions surrounding his extension this summer. He’d probably just get the max, and there wouldn’t be much for Langdon to say. But Duren was rough. He struggled mightily. And now, the Pistons really will have a lot to discuss with Duren’s agency this offseason.
Because his next contract is not as obvious as it once was.
Did Pistons just admit they could have tough negotiations with Jalen Duren?
Duren is still one of the best young bigs in the league. There’s no avoiding how great he was in the regular season. Langdon admitted as much during his end-of-season exit interview.
However, as noted, Langdon also mentioned that the Pistons would have to meet with Duren’s representation. That’s standard. Duren wouldn’t sign a deal without his agent present.
But perhaps Langdon mentioning it so clearly was his and the organization’s way of subtly addressing the playoff-sized elephant in the room: Duren’s play significantly dropped off in the postseason. (H/t Michael Scotto of HoopsHype)
“JD had a fantastic season. All-Star. One of the biggest contributors to us being a No. 1 seed… We look forward to coming together with his representation, getting a deal done, and for him continuing to be a Piston.”
Detroit Pistons President Trajan Langdon on Jalen Duren: “JD had a fantastic season. All-Star. One of the biggest contributors to us being a No. 1 seed… We look forward to coming together with his representation, getting a deal done, and for him continuing to be a Piston.” pic.twitter.com/6pGOHgk4eE
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) May 19, 2026
Now, rather than just getting ready to accept a max contract offer, Duren will have to negotiate. He and his representation may still want a deal close to that, but after the playoffs he had, that could be difficult.
Duren’s scoring dropped off a cliff, and there were times when Paul Reed was the better center option.
That’s fine for right now, at least from a financial perspective, because Duren was on a smaller deal. But if Reed outplayed the Pistons’ near $40 million big man, there would be even more drastic conversations going around.
Langdon may not have meant much by his statement, and it seems obvious that Duren will be back in Detroit next season, but the Pistons definitely will have to meet with his representation.
There could be some awkward negotiations that go down, and that’s for Duren’s people and Langdon to work out this summer.
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