After a long contract extension saga this offseason, All-Star center Jalen Duren decided to agree to the Detroit Pistons' five-year, $200 million extension.
The deal was at a standstill until training camp with Duren hoping for a bigger deal after his breakout campaign last season, while the Pistons reportedly didn't even view him as the team's Top 3 player entering the new season.
"One of the reasons for Duren's frustration was hearing in negotiations that he was the team's fourth-best player," ESPN's Vincent Goodwill reports. "Perhaps said in a way to illustrate how far he'd fallen in the playoffs, perhaps the cold part of negotiations."
Duren, Pistons agree to a $200 million deal
Jalen Duren
Jalen Duren
Credit Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix
Duren's new deal effectively ended both sides' long standoff around the big man's next contract, as Duren chose to accept the Pistons' offer rather than pick up a risky one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer that would have made him an unrestricted free agent next year.
Duren enjoyed a breakout campaign by averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game across 70 regular-season appearances during the Pistons' 60-win season last year, becoming an All-NBA selection and an All-Star for the first time in his young career.
However, his production infamously dipped to 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game over 14 postseason matchups during the 2026 playoffs.
Jalen Duren set to play in Pistons' preseason games
After missing the team's Media Day and training camp, Jalen Duren is poised to make an appearance in the Detroit Pistons' preseason slate.
J.B. Bickerstaff confirmed to reporters that they intend to let the star center play soon.
After picking up a 109-97 win against the Phoenix Suns on Monday, the Pistons still have three more exhibition games left. They will face the Washington Wizards on Saturday.
"The plan is, for sure," the Detroit coach said about Duren playing in the preseason. "It's just one of those things that we'll always be cautious of, is how he's feeling.