The Brooklyn Nets are in the midst of an offseason that they’re hoping will bear the fruit of a postseason appearance, but they have to make the right moves to get there. Brooklyn has the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft to bring in another talented, young player, but the Nets may also have to consider other avenues to improve the roster.
“Duren is only 22 and coming off an All-Star regular season, and cap-room teams like Brooklyn and Chicago will be circling with offer sheets if the Pistons get cold feet,” John Hollinger wrote for The Athletic when discussing Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren. Duren is a restricted free-agent this summer, but after this postseason, he could be looking at less money, which could give a team like Brooklyn the chance to sign him at a value.
“A five-year, $200 million deal would value him at $40 million a year and keep him in Detroit through much of his prime; that feels like a potential endpoint,” Hollinger continued on Duren. Hollinger projected for Duren to sign his next deal for a little over $44 million per year, but that will depend on how much the Pistons are willing to pay him to keep him in Detroit.
As Hollinger mentioned, the Nets are projected to be one of just a few teams to have significant cap space this summer and that’s why they’ve been linked to big-name free-agents like Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves. Brooklyn can also use their cap space to pursue certain players like Duren if their respective teams get “cold feet” and if successful, those moves can speed up the rebuild just a bit.
Duren, 22, is coming off a 2025-26 season in which he averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 65.0% from the field and 74.7% from the free-throw line. It should be noted that the Nets still have centers Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe in the fold, but if the franchise wants to head in a different direction with either guy, Duren could become an option later in the summer.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Should the Nets pursue Pistons’ Jalen Duren if he doesn’t get the max?
Reporting by Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire / Nets Wire
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By Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire | USA TODAY Network
