The Detroit Pistons find themselves in a familiar spot-staring down a big payday for a young player who’s blossoming into a cornerstone. This time, it’s Jalen Duren, and the price tag is climbing fast.
Duren wasn’t extended last offseason, a decision that raised a few eyebrows at the time and now looks like one that could cost Detroit significantly more down the road. But let’s be clear: Duren is earning every dollar of that future deal. He’s having a breakout season, putting up career highs across the board and showing flashes of the kind of two-way dominance that turns good teams into great ones.
The chemistry between Duren and Cade Cunningham has been a bright spot in an otherwise tough season for the Pistons. Their pick-and-roll game is clicking at a high level-so much so that they currently lead the league in successful lob connections.
It’s not just highlight-reel stuff, either. This is functional, efficient basketball.
When Duren scores 20 or more points, the Pistons are undefeated this season. That’s not a coincidence.
His presence in the paint changes the dynamic on both ends of the floor.
Now, the financial side of things gets interesting. According to league insiders, Duren could be looking at a max deal in the neighborhood of $40 million per year.
That’s a massive leap from the $30 million annually he was reportedly seeking last offseason. At the time, Detroit passed on locking him up.
In hindsight, that looks like a missed opportunity-but it also might have been a calculated risk that made sense.
Here’s why: Duren hadn’t yet shown this level of consistency, especially on defense. He had the tools, no doubt, but the Pistons-under new leadership with Trajan Langdon-weren’t ready to hand out a big contract based on potential alone. That’s a philosophy Langdon has made clear: pay for production, not projection.
If Detroit had committed to a five-year, $150 million deal before this leap, and Duren hadn’t taken that next step, they’d be stuck with a hefty contract for a player who hadn’t quite justified it. That kind of misstep can set a franchise back years.
We’ve seen it happen across the league-young players getting paid on promise, only for that promise to go unfulfilled. Patrick Williams comes to mind as a recent cautionary tale.
Instead, the Pistons chose to wait. And yes, that decision is going to cost them more now-but at least they’re paying for a player who’s proving it night after night.
Duren will be a restricted free agent, which gives Detroit the right to match any offer he receives. But don’t be surprised if rival teams throw big numbers at him, if only to force the Pistons’ hand.
That’s the game, and Detroit knows it.
Still, there’s something to be said for paying a guy once he’s shown you who he really is. Duren is showing he’s not just a rebounder or a rim-runner-he’s evolving into a legitimate second star next to Cunningham. That’s the kind of duo you can build around, and the kind of player you don’t let walk.
So yes, the Pistons could’ve saved some money by acting earlier. But they also avoided a potentially bad deal by waiting to see real development.
Now, they’ll pay more-but they’ll pay with confidence. And in today’s NBA, that’s not a bad trade-off.