The Milwaukee Bucks have a simple question in front of them: if Jalen Duren becomes available, how hard should they push?
Detroit and Duren have spent the offseason locked in contract negotiations without landing on a deal, and the center’s price tag has only grown. Coming off the best season of his career, Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while shooting 65% from the field. He also helped Detroit climb to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2007, then picked up All-Star honors and a spot on the All-NBA third Team.
That production put him in position for a five-year maximum extension worth up to $287 million. Instead, the Pistons reportedly put a $200 million offer on the table, with no team or player options and full guarantees, according to Sam Amick and Hunter Patterson of The Athletic.
That disagreement has opened the door for other teams, and Milwaukee is one of the clubs that has shown interest in the 22-year-old if Detroit and Duren can’t get on the same page.
The Milwaukee Bucks have serious interest in Jalen Duren, per @sam_amick “Still, Duren’s confidence is born out of the fact that his market for next summer looks quite robust. As The Athletic previously reported, the Sacramento Kings have signaled a willingness to pay him a… pic.twitter.com/dIIG0W8Y0V
For Milwaukee, the appeal is obvious. The Bucks don’t exactly need another center for the sake of depth, but Duren is the kind of player who changes the shape of a roster. He would be a clear upgrade over Myles Turner and give Milwaukee another young foundational piece as the team looks for something sturdier to build around.
That matters even more because Duren is only 22 and already has All-NBA credentials. He may have had a rough playoff run, but the broader picture still points to a player with serious upside.
He’s a strong defender, a force as a finisher, and a threat around the rim. He’s also shown enough as a driver, handoff hub, and face-up option to suggest there’s more growth ahead.
For a Bucks roster that has been stripped down and is short on proven long-term frontcourt talent after sending the Greek Freak off to Miami, Duren would fit the kind of rebuild that needs young, legitimate pieces rather than placeholders. He could also become a useful pick-and-roll partner for Milwaukee’s young guards as they develop.
There is, of course, a line Milwaukee shouldn’t cross. The Bucks shouldn’t burn through major trade assets and then hand Duren a huge contract on top of that. But if Detroit is genuinely ready to move on, Milwaukee would be wise to keep serious interest on the table.
If the Bucks go the sign-and-trade route, the cost matters just as much as the player. Nate Ament and Brayden Burries should be off-limits, and the same goes for major draft capital or a player like Ryan Rollins, who had a career year last season.
If the price stays reasonable, though, the logic is straightforward. Duren is a proven All-Star-level talent, still young, and already productive enough to matter right away. For a team trying to reset, that’s the kind of swing worth considering.
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