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The Detroit Pistons are not reportedly negotiating a Jalen Duren trade with the Los Angeles Clippers. They have not agreed to send him anywhere.
But a new proposed sigthe more intriguing possibilities of Detroit’s increasingly complicated summer: Darius Garland coming to the Pistons in a deal involving Duren.
Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes proposed Garland as a potential return if Detroit reaches the point where it would rather trade Duren than risk him accepting his qualifying offer and becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer, according to Heavy’s breakdown of the proposal.
Cleveland Cavaliers 125
Detroit Pistons 94 Record: 60-22Conference: No. 1Streak: W3Jalen Duren Refuses to Address Pistons Contract as Negotiations Turn Ugly
It is a hypothetical scenario, not a trade rumor. The basketball fit is interesting enough to deserve a closer look.
Jalen Duren contract talks Jalen Duren Pistons contract Jalen Duren sign-and-trade
Jalen Duren contract talks Jalen Duren Pistons contract Jalen Duren sign-and-trade
Darius Garland Would Give Pistons Something They Need
Garland is already a two-time All-Star, but his fit next to Cade Cunningham is more important than the label.
The Clippers acquired Garland from Cleveland for James Harden in February. He then averaged 19.9 points and 6.4 assists while making 43.8 percent of his 3-point attempts in 19 games with Los Angeles, according to NBA.com.
That profile addresses an obvious Detroit need.
Cunningham would remain the primary engine of the Pistons’ offense, but Garland could provide another high-level creator capable of running the offense when Cunningham rests or attacking defenses that load up on Detroit’s All-Star guard. His outside shooting would also allow him to spend possessions working without the ball rather than requiring Detroit to operate with two ball-dominant guards.
Detroit has spent much of the offseason searching for additional offensive talent around Cunningham. Turning Duren into Garland would represent a dramatic way to accomplish it.
It would also come at a significant cost.
Duren developed into an All-Star and All-NBA Third Team center last season, which is exactly why his contract situation has become such a major decision for Detroit. His future first became uncertain when extension talks stalled, and later reporting indicated the Pistons remained confident they could eventually keep him.
The situation has yet to reach that resolution.
The Biggest Problem With the Proposal
Detroit would first have to change its position on a sign-and-trade.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported earlier this month that he did not believe a sign-and-trade was seriously on the table, while Anthony Slater said Detroit had rejected that route entirely. Bleacher Report detailed those comments, making any Duren-for-Garland framework difficult to envision unless negotiations deteriorate further.
There is another complication. Los Angeles only acquired Garland six months ago, and the 26-year-old fits the younger direction the Clippers have taken since reshaping their roster. There is no current report that Garland is available.
So this is not a matter of Detroit deciding whether to accept Garland for Duren. There is no known offer to accept.
The proposal is useful for a different reason. It identifies the kind of return Detroit should demand if its position eventually changes.
If the Pistons decide they cannot reach a long-term agreement with Duren, simply moving a 22-year-old All-NBA center for draft assets or lesser pieces would be difficult to justify for a team trying to win now. Garland would be different. He would give Detroit a proven second creator, elite perimeter shooting and another player capable of carrying meaningful offensive responsibility.
Detroit still appears determined to keep Duren.
If that changes, a player of Garland’s caliber is where the conversation should start.