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The stalemate between the Detroit Pistons and Jalen Duren is still ongoing as we have entered the fourth week of free agency. The progress between the two sides has been called "modest," and it may be a while before it's resolved. According to the latest reports, the gap between the sides seems to be quite large.
Omari Sankofa of The Detroit Free Press revealed the Pistons' stance in negotiations with Duren, which is offering him well below the maximum he can get. Per Sankofa, Detroit has yet to offer him the 25% max, which would be a five-year, $239 million deal, starting at $41.2 million next season.
Pistons and Jalen Duren have a wide gap to bridge in contract negotiations
This is, of course, even lower than the most Duren could sign for in Detroit. After making an All-NBA team, Duren qualified for the 30% supermax, which would pay him up to $287 million over five years. Not only are the Pistons not offering Duren this, but they are reportedly also refusing to offer him the 25% max that his draft classmates Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren signed last offseason.
In Detroit's defense, their offer is still presumably better than what Duren could get from another team. He is limited to a maximum of a four-year, $177.4 million deal on the open market, which gives the Pistons significant leverage. Plus, there are no teams with cap space right now that can give him an offer sheet for the max.
That is what the Pistons are counting on. They believe that they have all the leverage. They aren't engaging in sign-and-trade talks and want to keep Duren, so they think that they will get Duren on a more favorable deal this way.
Still, it's rather surprising that the Pistons wouldn't be willing to give Duren the 25% max after clearing all that cap space for him this summer. Detroit let Tobias Harris walk and traded away Caris LeVert and Isaiah Stewart. They are currently $46 million under the luxury tax, which would allow them to avoid the tax even after they re-sign Duren.
The general expectation was that the Pistons were clearing this cap space to fit Duren in on a five-year, $239 million deal.
It turns out the Pistons may be more scared about the financial implications going forward. Especially since they have to give Ausar Thompson a contract extension soon as well, the Pistons are hoping to keep Duren's salary as low as possible.
This could also be an overreaction to Duren's postseason struggles. He was terrible in the playoffs, to be sure, but he is only 22 years old and has been getting better every single season since he came into the league. Detroit may be underestimating the negative impact playing hardball may have on its relationship with one of its stars.
Why this agreement hasn't gotten done yet is understandable. Duren rightfully feels like he has earned at least over $40 million per year after his All-NBA campaign. The Pistons, on the other hand, seem too focused on Duren's lack of leverage. All of this creates a situation where all signs are pointing towards a longer-lasting stalemate.
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This article was originally published on detroitjockcity.com as Pistons' reported offer for Jalen Duren explains why an agreement hasn't been reached.
