Center Jalen Duren remains unsigned for the Detroit Pistons. He is a restricted free agent with the 2026-27 NBA season rapidly approaching, and the standoff over his next contract has put a Jalen Duren trade back into the conversation. Sam Amick and Hunter Patterson of The Athletic laid out where it stands:
“With training camp a week away, there is finally movement in the strained negotiation between restricted free-agent center Jalen Duren and the Detroit Pistons.
Yet still, with the Eastern Conference contender showing renewed interest in getting a deal done and the 22-year-old, All-NBA center pushing for a bigger payday, the gap between the sides remains. Per league sources, the Pistons upped their offer by $10 million in recent days – from the five-year, $190 million proposal that was put forth in August to a five-year, $200 million deal that has no team or player options and is fully guaranteed.
Those sources, like others in this story, spoke on the condition of anonymity. They also confirm Detroit added a weight clause in its offer, though the league sources say that part was not in writing.”
Detroit is not negotiating in a vacuum. Amick and Patterson also report that the Sacramento Kings have signaled a willingness to pay Duren a max-salary deal next summer, and that at least two other teams, including the Milwaukee Bucks, have serious interest. If the two sides cannot close the gap, these are three teams that make sense as a landing spot.
Milwaukee Is Already Circling a Jalen Duren Trade
The Bucks are the only team on this list already tied to Duren in reporting, and Milwaukee’s interest is not brand new. The Bucks traded Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat this offseason, so Milwaukee is assembling a new core while Detroit is trying to win now. Would the two sides do a swap built around Myles Turner and Duren?
Duren is only 22 years old. He played 70 games last season and averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.8 blocks and 0.8 steals per game, a year that earned him All-NBA Third Team honors. He could be the next franchise player in Milwaukee if Detroit decides to move on this early.
Trading him inside the division would be a bold call. Turner reached the NBA Finals two seasons ago with the Indiana Pacers, and his shooting and rim protection would give Detroit a different look next to Cade Cunningham.
Brooklyn Could Send Back a Second Scorer
Another team Detroit could trade Duren to is the Brooklyn Nets. A Duren for Michael Porter Jr. swap could make sense for both sides. Brooklyn is also rebuilding and needs a young star on its roster.
Porter is 28 years old. He averaged 24.2 points per game in 52 games for the Nets last season, and he won an NBA title with the Denver Nuggets in 2022-23. He would give the Pistons the high-volume scorer they have lacked next to Cunningham, which is exactly the return Detroit would need in a deal like this.
New Orleans Has the Wing Detroit Wants
The New Orleans Pelicans are the third fit. Would the Pelicans be willing to swap Trey Murphy III for Duren? Murphy has been one of the most discussed names on the trade market this offseason, and he averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 66 games last season. He would be an upgrade on the wing for the Pistons and a solid second scoring option alongside Cunningham.
If Detroit is going to trade Duren away, it has to get a proven scorer back to put next to Cunningham. If the Pistons cannot get this resolved soon, New Orleans is one of the few teams with that kind of player to offer.
