Jalen Duren will finally wear a Detroit Pistons uniform for the first time since resolving his embattled contract standoff with the franchise this past offseason.
The star big man has been made available by the Pistons for Wednesday's preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, joining Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, and John Collins.
Jalen Duren playing for Pistons again after infamous contract drama
Jalen Duren will play his first preseason game this Wednesday for the Detroit Pistons after skipping the team's past games against the Phoenix Suns and the Washington Wizards last week.
Duren took time to recondition himself after also not appearing in the team's training camp.
For the whole offseason, the big man notably went toe-to-toe with the Pistons organization for his next contract as a restricted free agent. Both sides eventually reached the deal ahead of the Oct. 2 deadline, as Duren accepted Detroit's five-year, $200 million fully guaranteed contract extension.
Duren averaged a dominant 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 70 games that anchored the Pistons' 60-win 2025-26 season, a breakout run that earned him his first career All-Star selection and an All-NBA Third Team nod.
However, his production plummeted to 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds in the NBA Playoffs, which significantly impacted his past contract dispute with the franchise.