A week ago, Trajan Langdon sounded committed to keeping Jalen Duren in Detroit.
"I’ll just say, I want him here," Langdon said at a pre-draft press conference last Thursday. "That’s where I’m at with J.D. We really want J.D. to be here."
But Langdon's answer to a follow-up question might have been telling. Asked if the Pistons are intent on keeping Duren at any cost as he seeks a potential max contract in restricted free agency, Langdon deferred to the language of the league's collectively bargained rules and said, "I’m not going to use that verbiage, because I don’t even think I can. I think it’s against CBA rules for me to say that out loud."
Langdon last wk on how talks have been progressing with Duren (and Thompson): "They haven’t been, at this point, to be honest.”
Later: "I’ll just say, I want him here. That’s where I’m at with J.D. We really want J.D to be here." Couldn't say "at any cost." https://t.co/CHe734zyMW pic.twitter.com/LF235txe1l
— 97.1 The Ticket: (@971theticketxyt) June 26, 2026
Earlier, Langdon was asked how extension talks have been progressing with Duren (and Ausar Thompson) and said, "They haven't been, at this point, to be honest with you. Those will be conversations that will be had, but to be completely honest, you will never know how those conversations are going."
All of that helps frame a report Friday from The Athletic that Duren and the Pistons are so far apart in contract talks that it could drive the All-Star center out of Detroit:
Duren was underwhelmed by the Detroit Pistons’ initial offer in restricted free agency and is planning to explore sign-and-trade scenarios when they are permitted on Tuesday.
Having been named third-team All-NBA after he averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds this season, Duren is eligible to sign a five-year, $287.1 million max extension with the Pistons this offseason that would account for 30 percent of the team's salary cap.
But after watching Duren's performance dramatically fall off in 14 playoff games, it doesn't sound like the Pistons are willing to go there:
The gap between the sides is large enough that Duren is considering ways to land elsewhere, with the sign-and-trade route deemed preferable to signing an offer sheet with another team that the Pistons could, and likely would, match.
The most Duren could make via an offer sheet from an opposing team is four years, $177 million.
Moving on from Duren would create a lot of flexibility for the Pistons, who are said to "big-game hunting" this summer after trading fellow big man Isaiah Stewart; they've been linked to the likes of Kawhi Leonard, Jaylen Brown and even LeBron James.
It would also create a huge void at center that couldn't be reasonably filled by Paul Reed.
In any potential trade of Duren, the Pistons would likely have to get a usable big man in return, or be prepared to sign one in free agency. Isaiah Hartenstein of the Thunder and Walker Kessler of the Jazz could be options if they make it to the open market.
