Peyton Watson and Jalen Duren are staring at the same high-wire act: take the money now, or roll the dice on themselves and chase unrestricted free agency in 2027.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, both players have seriously weighed the idea of playing the 2026-27 season on qualifying offers instead of signing long-term deals they believe fall short of their value.
“League sources say Watson, like Detroit’s Jalen Duren, has been weighing the unappealing prospect of playing out the 2026-27 season on a qualifying offer with the intent to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Actually doing so, mind you, means leaving millions on the table. In Watson’s case, specifically, that would mean playing next season for just $6.5 million.”
Watson’s situation with Denver has already reached a clear standoff. Stein reported that the Nuggets’ opening proposal was believed to be around $70 million over four years, a number that trails the five-year, $125 million rookie scale extension Christian Braun signed with Denver last October. The Stein Line has also reported that Watson is aiming to top those figures this summer.
That leaves Watson with a stark choice. He can lock in a major payday now, or he can take the qualifying offer, play next season for $6.5 million, and hit unrestricted free agency in 2027 with the Nuggets unable to match outside bids.
It would be a huge gamble, no matter how you slice it. One injury, one down year, and the market can change fast. But Watson has given himself a real case for pushing harder after what he did last season.
The 23-year-old put up 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 49.1% from the field and 41.1% from three in 54 games. That mix of length, defense, athleticism and improved shooting has made him one of the league’s most intriguing young wings.
Duren’s path is even more complicated.
After a breakout season in which he averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists and earned his first All-Star nod plus an All-NBA Third Team selection, the Pistons center became eligible for a five-year, $287 million supermax extension.
But his playoff showing changed the conversation. In that run, Duren averaged 10.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, and the supermax buzz faded fast.
Now, his camp is reportedly looking for something near $40 million per year, a figure that sits well above what Detroit is prepared to do. The talks have stalled, and while the Pistons want to keep him and will match outside offers, the gap between the two sides remains wide.
If the extension talks completely break down, Duren could follow the same path as Watson and accept the qualifying offer. That would put him on track to become an unrestricted free agent next summer and give him full control over where he lands.
The upside is obvious: freedom. The downside is just as obvious: the risk of leaving millions behind and hoping everything breaks right over the next season.
That’s the bet both players are considering. In a league where guaranteed money usually wins out, Watson and Duren are testing just how far leverage can go. If neither side gives in, two of the league’s brightest young talents could spend next season on bargain contracts with 2027 free agency in their sights.
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The painful part in Detroit is how closely his name is tied to the 2015 draft, when the Pistons went a different direction and took Stanley Johnson instead. Hezonja has long been viewed as the sort of swingman Stan Van Gundy liked, and even if his NBA return is still just a chance, the comparison is hard to avoid for a franchise still searching for more size and shooting on the wing. [Read more 🡒]