By Field Level Media
Sep 28 (Field Level Media) – Detroit Pistons All-Star center Jalen Duren will not attend Monday’s media day or the start of training camp amid a contract standoff, ESPN reported.
The 22-year-old restricted free agent faces a Thursday deadline to accept the team’s one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer for the 2026-27 season. Signing the deal would allow him to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Duren reportedly rejected Detroit’s fully guaranteed five-year, $200 million offer and is seeking something closer to the five-year, $287 million maximum deal he is eligible to receive.
According to the report, Duren feels disrespected over the stalemate with the Pistons and “the standoff is no longer about the money.”
Duren is coming off a breakout fourth season in 2025-26 when he averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in 70 games (all starts) and made his first All-Star team and the All-NBA third team.
He has averaged 13.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 276 career games (239 starts) since being acquired by Detroit after the 2022 draft, where he went to Charlotte with the 13th pick.
(–Field Level Media)
