u/InHeatPink

Detroit bumped their offer to $200M over 5 years, which is actually more than Duren's realistic ceiling if he takes the $9.6M qualifying offer and hits free agency next summer. His max deal elsewhere projects to $189.2M over 4 years, so five years total under that path caps out around $198.8M.

Shams reported a real "thread line of disrespect" Duren feels dating back to last year's underwhelming extension talks, so this might not be about the math at all.

Risk cuts both ways though. Duren could get hurt or plateau and lose leverage entirely, but the Pistons also risk losing a 23 year old All-NBA center for nothing if he walks. Only real suitors in true free agency would be Sacramento or Milwaukee anyway, neither of which makes sense over a 60 win Pistons team.

Deadline to take the qualifying offer is Oct 1. If he won't budge, the piece argues Detroit should already be exploring sign and trade options with Sacramento or Milwaukee instead of waiting this out further.

Source:
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/jalen-duren-pistons-offer-time-to-consider-trade/

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