DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons were committed to keeping their All-NBA center Jalen Duren since the summer. Although negotiations stalled for four months, the Pistons ultimately succeeded.
Late Thursday night, Duren agreed to a fully guaranteed five-year, $200 million contract extension to remain with the Pistons.
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“We are excited to have him back. Our expectations were that he was always going to be back, and we were planning accordingly,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “To get it done and to get him into the building and start the process of getting him back on the court with the group, it is great for us. We know how much he means to us and how important he has been over the past few years, and how important he is going to be for us in the future. That’s our guy, and he’s been our guy. We are happy to have him back.”
After reaching an agreement with the organization, Duren returned to the Henry Ford Health Performance Center on Friday. Although he missed his fourth straight day of training camp practice, Duren returned to the team’s practice facility to complete his physical exam.
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Bickerstaff insists he is not concerned about the practices Duren has missed during the ongoing negotiation process. Although communication with Duren had been limited, he still had the opportunity to work out with several members of the Pistons’ coaching staff throughout the offseason, in addition to his individual sessions.
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Bickerstaff said reintegrating Duren into the system before the 2026-27 season would not pose any issues, given his significant role in the team’s resurgence over the last two seasons. The Pistons hope to have Duren back on the practice court soon. Bickerstaff also added Duren is in great condition.
“Every year with young guys, you expect growth, and he hasn’t reached his ceiling. There is no reason why we should not expect him to take another step, and I know that is what he wants to do,” Bickerstaff said. “He wants to continue to get better and reach greatness in order to help this team in so many different ways. We are excited to have him back and are looking forward to it.”
Detroit head coach J.B. Bickerstaff hugs center Jalen Duren in the final moments of the fourth quarter of Game 7 of the first-round playoff series between the Detroit Pistons and the Orlando Magic, at Little Caesars Arena, in Detroit, May 3, 2026.
Duren became a restricted free agent on June 30. As a result of his career season, the 22-year-old big man was eligible for a five-year, $287 million max deal. The Pistons initially offered Duren a five-year extension worth $195 million, about $92 million less than his eligibility.
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This difference led to a contract dispute and made it possible Duren would have accepted a one-year qualifying offer worth $9.6 million. If he had proceeded, it likely would have ended his time in Detroit, as he would have had the chance to sign with his preferred team next summer as an unrestricted free agent.
The dispute drew interest from several teams looking to acquire Duren through a sign-and-trade deal, as his future with the Pistons seemed uncertain. However, Detroit was committed to retaining Duren. A source confirmed to The Detroit News the Pistons never entertained trade offers and never wavered on having Duren as a key part of their core trio, which also includes Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson.
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“The way that we feel about J.D. The way that his teammates feel about him. And the way that J.D. feels about his teammates, at the end of the day, you understand that it was just negotiations,” Bickerstaff said. “It is also competitive, but also being mindful of what is the most important thing. The most important thing for us was having J.D. back with us, and I know J.D. wanted to be here.”
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During the Pistons’ 60-win season last year, Duren posted career highs in several categories. He recorded 41 double-doubles and averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in 70 games. Duren’s career year earned him his first All-Star selection in February. In May, Duren made the All-NBA Third Team and finished third in the voting for Most Improved Player of the Year.
“All the stuff that was floating, we knew what was real,” Bickerstaff said. “It was a negotiation process. We went through the process. We knew he would be back. He is here, and now, we can move forward.”
coty.davis@detroitnews.com
@cotydavis_24
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: After stalled negotiations, Pistons ‘excited’ to have Jalen Duren back
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