The Pistons’ offseason has already brought one notable change, with Tobias Harris leaving for the San Antonio Spurs in free agency and John Collins arriving as a possible answer in his place. But the bigger storyline still hanging over Detroit is Jalen Duren, who remains unsigned in restricted free agency.
That uncertainty hasn’t changed the public stance from inside the organization. Pistons advisor and former head coach Dwayne Casey kept it brief when asked about the situation.
“We’re happy to have him…hopefully we get things worked out,” said Casey, per SiriusXM NBA Radio on X, formerly Twitter.
Duren’s case is a tricky one. During the regular season, he looked like exactly the kind of young big man teams lock up without much hesitation.
He protected the rim, rebounded at an elite level on the offensive glass, ran the floor well and showed real touch around the basket. At 22 years old and coming off an All-Star season, he has the kind of profile that usually points toward a major deal.
The playoffs told a much rougher story. Duren was outplayed in both of Detroit’s postseason rounds, first by Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. and then by Cleveland Cavaliers big man Jarrett Allen. That finish has clearly complicated the conversation and raised questions about how eager the Pistons are to commit long term after that performance.
Even so, a return to Detroit still appears to be the most likely outcome. The issue is simply that nothing has been finalized yet, and that alone is enough to keep the situation unsettled.
In Other News...
Pistons May Already Have Their Second Unit Answer In House
With Caris LeVert gone, the Pistons are left sorting out who handles the extra playmaking work for the second unit, and Kevin Huerter has quickly become the name to watch. He arrived at the trade deadline last season and, even in a limited sample, showed enough offensive and defensive value to make the bench look more functional when he was on the floor.
Huerters case is tied to health as much as role, since his first stretch in Detroit came while he was battling hip and adductor issues. Daniss Jenkins also gives the Pistons another backup point guard option, but the bigger question now is how much of the second-unit offense Huerter can shoulder once he is fully available. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Still Left Cade Cunningham With The Same Huge Question
Detroit added depth and draft capital in the six-team deal, bringing in John Collins, Isaiah Joe, Taurean Prince and Gary Harris, but the move still left the same basic problem hanging over the roster. None of those additions is the kind of second star or primary creator Cade Cunningham needs, and the front office also used the 17th pick on Ebuka Okorie without really solving the immediate playmaking issue.
For a team trying to move from promising to dangerous, that leaves the Cunningham-Jalen Duren-Ausar Thompson core with the same awkward questions about shooting, shot creation and overall offensive punch. Trajan Langdon has bought himself some flexibility, but another playoff stumble would only sharpen the scrutiny on whether he is the right person to find Cunningham a true No. 2. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons May Have One Unexpected Shot To Finally Help Cade
Detroits search for a real offseason boost around Cade Cunningham has been stuck in the same familiar place: limited cap room, few clean paths and a market that has not exactly broken the Pistons way. That is why the conversation keeps circling back to possible value plays, the kind of move that does not require a full reset of the roster but could still give Cunningham a more workable supporting cast.
Jonathan Kuminga fits that conversation better than most, even if Detroit has not been officially tied to him. The appeal is obvious enough - a young, talented wing who might be reachable on a prove-it arrangement, with a sign-and-trade as one possible route if the market develops that way. For a team still trying to find the right next step, the question is whether this is the rare swing worth taking. [Read more 🡒]