Jalen Duren’s contract standoff with the Pistons is still dragging on, and there’s a real chance it stretches deep into the summer.
League sources told Marc Stein of The Stein Line that the restricted free agent center has been weighing whether to take Detroit’s $9.5MM qualifying offer, a move that would put him on track for unrestricted free agency next year. Shams Charania of ESPN said on NBA Today that Duren and the Pistons remain at an impasse, and he believes the 22-year-old could stay unsigned “well into August” or even September before urgency starts to build.
Elsewhere on the free-agent and trade front, DeMar DeRozan is drawing a wide field. Charania reported that the Heat, Nuggets and Cavaliers are among the teams interested in the veteran forward, adding new names to the mix beyond Miami, which has been linked to him multiple times.
The Pistons and Raptors have also been connected to DeRozan to varying degrees. Last season in Sacramento, the six-time All-Star averaged 18.4 points, 4.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds in 77 games, playing 31.2 minutes per night.
Miami’s other major target remains Klay Thompson. Charania confirmed that the Heat are still trying to find a way to land the four-time champion, with the team focused on adding shooting.
The Mavericks, meanwhile, are still exploring trade options and have not discussed a buyout at this point, according to Stein. Charania added that “Several” other contending teams are keeping tabs on Thompson.
Jonathan Kuminga is still in the middle of a complicated market, and Cleveland remains in the picture. Charania pushed back on a recent report from Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints that suggested Mario Hezonja’s signing would rule out a sign-and-trade pursuit of Kuminga.
Charania said that isn’t the case, noting that Hezonja’s one-year deal is for the veteran’s minimum and won’t meaningfully affect the Cavaliers’ cap situation. The Lakers are also a primary suitor for Kuminga.
Philadelphia is trying to move Johni Broome as it works to finalize its signing of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Keith Smith of Spotrac reported that if the Sixers can’t find a trade, they may waive the former Auburn big man and use the stretch provision to spread his minimum-salary cap hit over the next seven years. Broome, a 24-year-old center/forward, was taken 35th overall in the 2025 draft.
Charania also said he is “fully expecting” James Harden to re-sign with the Cavaliers in the near future, noting that there has long been an expectation that the former NBA MVP would return to Cleveland this summer.
In Other News...
Cavs May Finally Have Their Wing Answer In Sight
The Cavaliers are looking at a familiar kind of summer fix in DeMar DeRozan, a veteran wing who became available after Sacramento waived him on July 6. For Cleveland, the appeal is obvious: he still brings scoring, playmaking and the kind of half-court steadiness that can matter when the game slows down in the playoffs.
DeRozans recent production suggests there is still plenty left in the tank, and his postseason background only adds to the case for a contender that wants more reliable perimeter creation. Cleveland is not alone in the chase, though, with Miami and Denver also showing interest, which could turn this into one of the more interesting veteran markets of the offseason. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers May Finally Have An Answer For Their Biggest Depth Problem
The Cavaliers spent much of last season juggling lineups and searching for scoring once the second unit came in, a problem that showed up in a steep drop in bench production after Ty Jerome was no longer there to steady things. Cleveland used 41 different starting lineups and never really found a clean replacement for what he brought, which left the front office and coaching staff looking at a roster full of younger options and hoping internal growth could do some of the lifting.
Jaylon Tyson, Sam Merrill, NaeQwan Tomlin, Tyrese Proctor, Craig Porter Jr. and Meleek Thomas are all in the mix to take on more, and that makes the next phase of this roster more about development than outside rescue. The Cavaliers believe offseason work can help restore some balance behind the starters, but the real question is whether one of those young players can become the kind of reliable spark that changes the tone of a second unit. [Read more 🡒]