Jalen Duren to meet with rival teams, Pistons not interested in moving star big man
· Yahoo Sports
Detroit — The NBA's free agency negotiation period begins at 6 p.m. ET today, allowing teams to engage in discussions with upcoming unrestricted and restricted free agents. Detroit Pistons' restricted free agent Jalen Duren will reportedly be active.
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According to The Athletic, Duren has scheduled free agency meetings with the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers, both of which are hoping to lure the All-Star big man from Detroit.
The Lakers have the necessary cap space to offer Duren a four-year max deal. If they do, the Pistons would have until July 7 to match the offer. However, rumors have circulated that the Kings could acquire Duren via a sign-and-trade deal, likely involving Domantas Sabonis coming to Detroit. However, a source confirmed to The Detroit News Tuesday morning that the Pistons have "no interest" in trading their star big man.
Over the past week, reports have emerged about the uncertain status of Duren, as negotiations between him and the Pistons regarding his future continue. However, a source close to the discussions told The Detroit News on Friday that Duren is "going to be back."
After an impressive season that led the Pistons to 60 wins, Duren's career year culminated in All-NBA Third Team honors for the 2025-26 season. As a result, he is eligible to sign a rookie-max extension worth $287 million over five years this summer.
Despite his lackluster postseason performance, the Pistons were always unlikely to offer Duren a max contract. The decision does not intend to undervalue the talented big man; rather, it aims to maintain the Pistons' future financial flexibility.
Duren was selected as a first-round pick by the Pistons, having been traded to Detroit from the Charlotte Hornets during the 2022 NBA Draft. He has since appeared in 276 career games, averaging 13.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Jalen Duren to meet with rival teams, Pistons not interested in moving star big man