Pistons are inching nearer to harsh actuality not even Jalen Duren noticed coming -

As NBA free company enters its second month, the Detroit Pistons are nonetheless far aside in negotiations with star Jalen Duren. Duren continues to be hoping to signal a 5-year max contract price $287 million, however the Pistons are decided to supply him far much less.

Clearly, the 2 sides are far aside, and it is smart for Duren to do the unthinkable. He may contemplate accepting the qualifying provide of $9.6 million.

That might primarily give him a one-year contract and permit him to change into an unrestricted free agent after subsequent season. Ought to that occur, the Pistons would lose their second-best participant for nothing.

Jalen Duren might take the qualifying provide to spite the Pistons

Restricted free company may be brutal, particularly if you do not have a lot leverage. After having a horrible playoff run, Duren entered the summer season with little leverage in contract negotiations. Because of this, the Pistons are attempting to play hardball to get him again on an reasonably priced contract.

That is nicely inside their proper, however he’s additionally nicely inside his proper to take the qualifying provide. Have been he to take action, he can be the primary main participant to have taken the qualifying provide and may very well be a take a look at case.

If he takes the qualifying provide and balls out subsequent season, then he may signal a profitable contract with a group he chooses. If he would not, then he may very well be leaving cash on the desk.

The Pistons cannot afford to let Duren take the qualifying provide

For Detroit’s half, they cannot afford to let it get to that time. Taking part in onerous ball is one factor, but when they alienate him, he might take the qualifying provide simply to spite them.

In that case, it might be a lot tougher to commerce him subsequent season with him changing into a free agent subsequent summer season. He’d have motivation to play nicely on a 1-year deal, however it might definitely be awkward to have a participant again after contact negotiations have dragged on for greater than a month.

I nonetheless suppose there’s a center floor wherein he takes a 3-year deal for round $120 million, with the third being a participant possibility. That approach, Duren can get the bag now and have the ability to hit free company once more when he is 24.

For Detroit, they might have the ability to retain him for an additional couple of seasons and see if he’s price holding round. Worst-case state of affairs, they might have the ability to commerce him whereas below that contract, however either side must comply with that deal, and so they appear too far aside for that to occur in the mean time.