Jalen Duren, the 22-year-old Detroit Pistons center who made his first NBA All-Star Game this season, is about to become a restricted free agent, and he has been mentioned as someone the Los Angeles Lakers would love to acquire in order to upgrade at the 5.
The chances of the Lakers ending up with Duren in free agency seem very small, as he’s sure to command a healthy salary. But Sam Amick of The Athletic wrote that the big man is now open to sign-and-trade scenarios in order to get the offer he’s seeking.
“All-NBA forward Jalen 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, league sources told The Athletic,” Amick wrote.
“According to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiation is ongoing, 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.”
A sign-and-trade sounds like the only realistic way Los Angeles could snag Duren, especially since he’ll likely command well north of $30 million a year. However, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints cast doubt on the idea that Detroit would actually execute a sign-and-trade involving Duren.
“The only way the Pistons would let Jalen Duren go is if they could execute a sign-and-trade to add some assets, including a potential high-level replacement for him, which isn’t happening. There is even more of a need for the team to keep Duren after trading Isaiah Stewart to the [Memphis] Grizzlies.
“Multiple reports have surfaced regarding Duren and the Pistons being very far apart in negotiations, something that sources have also echoed to ClutchPoints. Duren was a max deal over $200 million following his All-NBA season, and Detroit has not come close to offering the 22-year-old that deal.
“Eventually, the expectation is that the two sides will find common ground on a new deal, especially since the Pistons don’t want to see him leave and can’t really afford to have him leave a massive hole in their frontcourt.”
Duren averaged 19.5 points on 65% field-goal shooting and 10.5 rebounds a game during the regular season, and his scoring average jumped more than seven points above where it was during the previous campaign. He played poorly during the playoffs, but he’s the type of athletic, rim-running lob threat Luka Doncic would love to have alongside him at the center spot.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers center target ‘planning to explore sign-and-trade scenarios’
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire | USA TODAY Network
