The Detroit Pistons are still sorting out Jalen Duren’s future, and the clock on the offseason is basically running out. He may be in Michigan when 2026-27 tips off, but that doesn’t mean the relationship is settled for the long haul. There’s at least one more twist worth considering: could Detroit use Duren as the centerpiece of a midseason Anthony Davis trade?
That idea came up on the latest episode of the "Third Apron Podcast" with Sam Quinn, where Yossi Gozlan said Duren could be one way the Wizards get "real value" back for Davis. A 22-year-old who has already made All-NBA and become an All-Star certainly checks the box for a return that counts.
But for the Pistons, the price tag is about more than just the trade itself. If Detroit wants to keep Duren, it would need to work out a multi-year deal with him first.
And even that doesn’t guarantee a clean resolution. There could still be tension carried into the season, a slow start from Duren, or a situation where he simply doesn’t want to be there anymore.
That’s why the more tempting option on paper may not be the safer one in practice. Davis would give Detroit a proven star next to Cade Cunningham, and the upside is obvious: a better shot at getting past the conference finals and, maybe, out of the East altogether.
Still, the cost is steep. The Athletic reported that if the Pistons keep Duren, he’s looking at a five-year deal worth at least $200 million.
That sounds heavy until you stack it against Davis, who is set to make $58.5 million in 2026-27 and holds a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28. And that’s before the extension question even enters the picture.
If Davis declines that option, he’d be eligible for a four-year, $275 million extension. That number shouldn’t be the target, but his camp, led by Rich Paul, would still be in line to press for a major payday. Any team trading for Davis would be doing so with the assumption that it also has to pay him.
That’s where the whole thing gets tricky for Detroit. Davis is a name that changes the ceiling of a roster.
But he’s also a player whose availability has to be part of the equation, and that’s the part the Pistons can’t ignore. If he can’t get on the floor - and stay there when it matters - then the move doesn’t solve much.
Davis has played only 29 games since the Lakers sent him to the Mavericks in the Luka Dončić deal in January 2025. He is healthy and expected to begin the season in Washington, but the Wizards are not rushing into an extension for a reason. They want a bigger sample before making that call.
In the end, Detroit’s choice comes down to risk. Paying Duren may feel expensive, but it’s the less dangerous path. Trading for Davis and then committing to him on a new deal would be a bigger bet on an oft-injured veteran who is past his prime.
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