Jalen Duren is one of the best NBA free agents remaining on the board, but his market is quickly diminishing. The Boston Celtics have moved on and signed Mitchell Robinson, so they’re out. The Los Angeles Lakers have signed Walker Kessler; they’re out too. So what are the options for Duren? Here’s a look at three scenarios in which this situation plays out.
The relationship between the Detroit Pistons and Duren has seemingly gone wrong. The players feel disrespected by the contract he’s been offered, while the team feels like they can’t go any higher. The question is simple: Is Duren a max contract player? The answer is probably no.
Duren returning to the Pistons at this point would be on a prove-it type of deal. Perhaps a one-year contract with a player option for a second year. This would let him rebuild his value on a contending team and hit free agency next year looking for a large contract. Right now, this may be the best option unless a sign-and-trade forms.
The Sacramento Kings were mentioned early in the Duren sweepstakes, but that may have just been a leverage play by the players’ camp. They were apparently willing to offer a max contract to Duren, and there was a rumored sign-and-trade in the works. That was weeks ago at this point, and nothing has come out since. The Kings have since waived DeMar DeRozan, whose salary may have been used in a potential trade. Maybe this is still on the table, but it seems unlikely.
The Chicago Bulls are the team here that would be absolutely perfect for Duren. They have made an emphasis in adding athleticism to their roster, and Duren would give them just that from their center position. A sign-and-trade could be done using a couple of different options. Using the contracts of Patrick Williams and Jalen Smith could get this done. Josh Giddey could also be involved in more of a one-for-one swap.
Duren has not played his cards right this offseason, and there’s a good chance it costs him a lot of money. He isn’t getting a max contract and will certainly not be playing for a contender unless he takes a severe discount with Detroit. These are really three of the only options left for him this offseason. It will be an interesting situation to watch play out as time goes on.
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