Bucks Eye All-NBA Center With $200 Million Offer in Post-Giannis Rebuild
· Yahoo Sports
The Milwaukee Bucks came out of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade with a young center in Kel’el Ware. They may have their eyes on another one.
Milwaukee is among at least two teams, besides the Sacramento Kings, with serious interest in Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren, both now and potentially next summer, Sam Amick and Hunter Patterson reported for The Athletic. The report did not identify the other team or say the Bucks have made a trade offer.
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Duren’s appeal is clear. At 22, he is already an All-Star and an All-NBA center. He averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds last season, helping Detroit establish itself as an Eastern Conference contender.
The Pistons want to keep him. They recently raised their offer from five years and $190 million to a fully guaranteed five-year, $200 million contract with no team or player options, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported earlier. Duren has yet to accept it.
For the Bucks, the question is whether that standoff could eventually open a path to a player capable of anchoring their post-Giannis rebuild.
Why Bucks Could Want Duren Alongside Kel’el Ware
Getty Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons dunks in front of Jericho Sims of the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half at Little Caesars Arena on April 08, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan.Ware was part of Milwaukee’s return in the trade that sent Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat. He gives the Bucks size and long-term potential, but he is still learning how to turn those tools into consistent NBA production.
Duren is further along. He has already carried a major role on a successful team and earned leaguewide recognition for it. If Milwaukee believes he can keep improving, he could become one of the players around whom it builds its next contender.
Adding him would raise a basketball question, too. Ware and Duren are both centers. The Bucks would have to determine how often they could play together and whether committing major money to Duren would leave enough room to build around both.
Those decisions are hypothetical for now. Detroit has resisted sign-and-trade discussions, The Athletic reported, and Duren remains free to accept the Pistons’ offer.
Qualifying Offer Could Change Duren’s Market
Duren has until Oct. 1 to take Detroit’s $9.6 million qualifying offer. He would then play this season on a one-year contract and become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
That would give interested teams such as Milwaukee an opportunity to pursue him without first negotiating a trade with the Pistons. It would also mean Duren turning down $200 million guaranteed and betting that he could secure another major deal after the season.
The Athletic reported that Sacramento has signaled a willingness to pay Duren a maximum salary next summer. Milwaukee’s interest suggests he could have more than one option if he reaches the open market.
There is an intriguing connection between the two Central Division teams. Detroit previously showed interest in Tyler Herro, whom Milwaukee received in the Antetokounmpo trade. Now the Bucks are watching the Pistons’ negotiations with Duren.
With training camp a week away, Milwaukee’s interest gives the dispute a new dimension. The Bucks have a promising center in Ware. Duren, if he ever becomes available, offers the chance to add one who has already proved himself.
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