The Washington Wizards may have dodged a financial mess by not getting involved in a Jalen Duren deal.
Earlier this week, Marc J. Spears of ESPN reported that the Wizards were said "to have interest" in a sign-and-trade for Duren.
That sparked a separate report from The Athletic, later said to be incorrect, that Washington was exploring an Anthony Davis-for-Duren framework. Whatever the level of interest actually was, the end result is clear: Duren agreed to re-sign with the Pistons on a five-year, $200 million deal.
Even if the Wizards had wanted to seriously pursue Duren, the price tag would have been brutal. Getting him likely would have meant handing out at least $200 million and, in addition, sending either Davis or Alex Sarr to Detroit.
Washington could have talked itself into moving Davis - who is eligible for an extension - for a player 11 years younger. But that would not have solved the real issue.
Duren still would have needed to be paid.
And $200 million is a huge number for a player whose postseason cooled off badly.
Duren was an All-Star this past season and earned All-NBA third team honors, so he finished the regular season on a high note. But that momentum did not carry over.
In the postseason, he averaged 10.2 points, down from 19.5, along with 8.5 rebounds per game. His playoff run ended with a seven-point showing in Game 7 against the Cavaliers, and that kind of finish makes it hard to argue he was worth the $275 million max he became eligible for after making All-NBA.
That would have been an obvious overpay. Even the five-year, $200 million deal he landed from Detroit is a major gamble.
Duren is being compensated like a proven elite center, even though his biggest stage performance suggested otherwise. He’s only 22, so the Pistons can tell themselves there’s still another level coming.
But under the tax apron restrictions and the league’s current penny-pinching climate, that’s a bet Detroit needs to hit.
For Washington, the timing matters even more because of what else is on the table. The Wizards are already hoping their $212 million bet on Trae Young pays off, and another massive commitment for Duren would have complicated everything. The front office has to keep an eye on future extensions for players like Sarr and Kyshawn George, and that makes the cap picture tight fast.
Davis’ contract situation is tricky for the same reason, beyond the obvious availability concerns. If he pushes for the $275 million he is eligible for, that would limit what Washington can offer its younger core. Even if he takes less, an extension still carries risk because of his age and injury history.
The Wizards need time to evaluate what they have with Davis, whom they traded for in February, and the new-look roster around him. Swapping him for Duren would have undercut the whole point of bringing Davis in. Duren might fit Washington’s timeline better, but if the goal is to stay competitive, the Wizards are better off keeping Davis, the more established player.
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For Washington, the timing is especially awkward because the NBA has already made clear it is willing to punish clubs it believes are gaming the system. Commissioner Adam Silver has said teams could be fined for intentional losing, and the league has put measures in place to discourage tanking. What Carrington said has now turned a familiar rebuilding storyline into something a little more combustible, and it may not be the last time the league hears about it. [Read more 🡒]
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Bam Adebayo Just Reignited A Heat Debate Fans Never Dropped
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Adebayo said he kept scoring even as fatigue started to hit, and he framed the night as one shaped by the Heats circumstances as much as his own rhythm. He also added context around Miami being shorthanded and coming in after a rough result, which helps explain why the conversation around the game has lingered long after the final buzzer. [Read more 🡒]