The Pistons do not want to give Jalen Duren a max contract after postseason struggles

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The Pistons do not want to give Jalen Duren a max contract after postseason struggles originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Jalen Duren made a huge leap in the 2025-26 season, as he became the secondary star that Cade Cunningham has needed for a long while. It was a productive year for him because the Detroit Pistons won 60 games and were the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds on elite efficiency. Unfortunately, he had a massive drop-off in the NBA Playoffs, as those averages went down to 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

Jalen Duren's postseason dip led to the Pistons not giving him a max contract​

Before the Playoffs, Duren was a shoo-in for a max contract with the Pistons. He could've even gotten a supermax, but during the postseason, he was one of the Pistons' worst performers.

Considering he is the secondary star player to Cunningham, that is not a good look for the young center. He still has promise, but underperforming just before a contract extension window is a bad situation.

MORE: The surprise contract plans with Jalen Duren

Now, the Pistons have shown that they are unwilling to pay Duren the max. This has also led to Duren himself looking for opportunities elsewhere, with the Sacramento Kings being a lucrative landing spot for him.

"Because he made third-team All-NBA, Duren reached the ‘higher maximum criteria’ that increased the maximum money the Pistons can offer – up to five years and $287 million, a substantial bump from the previous $239 million he was eligible for," The Detroit Free Press' Pistons reporter Omari Sankofa II said about Duren's deal.

"But he's unlikely to see either figure following an underwhelming postseason performance that ended with a seven-game loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers."

As the offseason progresses, this will be an important situation to follow. The Pistons could lose one of their key players after one bad run, but it seems Duren already has one foot out of the door after not getting the extension he wanted.

More NBA news:​

• The details surrounding the Isaiah Stewart trade from Detroit to Memphis
• The Lakers and Bulls get a free agency update about Jalen Duren
• The Pistons could be in play to make a massive free agency signing
• Why Pistons legend Isiah Thomas celebrated the Jalen Brunson Finals MVP
• A former first-round pick could be the change Cade Cunningham needs on the Pistons

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