As the October 1st deadline inches closer, the Detroit Pistons are forced to confront a frustrating Jalen Duren reality. Duren has until October 1st to accept the qualifying offer, which will pay him $9.3 million next season and allow him to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
That is almost unheard of for a restricted free agent to take the qualifying offer. Especially with the Pistons reportedly offering him a 5-year, $200 million deal.
However, according to The Athletic, there were strings attached to the Pistons' offer, which included a weight-based incentive. Duren apparently bristled at that offer and appears likely to take the qualifying offer, particularly after no-showing at media day.
Him doing so could be catastrophic for the Pistons. He could torpedo any trade next season and leave for nothing next summer, resulting in the Pistons losing him for nothing.
Jalen Duren's free agent twist confirms the Pistons' worst fear
At this point, it's hard to imagine Duren signing for more than $40 million a year next summer. Then again, perhaps contract negotiations have gotten so bitter that he wants to prove a point but not re-sign with the Pistons.
If that's the case, then he is all but done in Detroit. Detroit was right to try and bring him back on a team-friendly contract, especially after he flamed out in the NBA playoffs, but they have clearly alienated their second-best player.
In doing so, they now risk pushing him out the door. After extending an Ausar Thompson, the Pistons were probably hoping to bring Duren back and pay them and Cade Cunningham roughly a combined $120 million. That might not sound like much of a discount.
However, the salary cap for next season is around $165 million with a luxury tax line of $200 million, which would give the Pistons plenty of space to work with, not just this season but going forward.
The Pistons may finally have to trade Jalen Duren
With the possibility of Duren taking the qualifying offer, Detroit should be strongly considering trading him before it gets that point. A potential trade that has been floating around is a deal that would send Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner, as well as AJ Green and a first-round pick, to Detroit in exchange for Duren.
That would at least give the Pistons a starting center as well as a talented shooter, plus what could be a decent pick. Better yet, Turner and Green combine to cost less than what they'd pay Duren a new contract this season.
Given the possibility of losing him for nothing, it seems like the best-case scenario for the Pistons. Especially if Duren is dead set on taking the qualifying offer and leaving the Pistons.
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