The Detroit Pistons have reportedly reached a five-year, $200 million rookie scale extension with center Jalen Duren. This agreement comes shortly after Duren was absent from training camp, raising concerns about his status with the team.
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Duren was facing a deadline to sign a one-year qualifying offer, which would have made him an unrestricted free agent after the season. Instead, he accepted the Pistons' proposal after negotiations that included offers varying from $170 million to $190 million through the summer.
Duren, a first-time All-Star last season, contributed significantly to the Pistons' success, averaging 20 points and 10.5 rebounds. His performance helped the team secure the Central Division title for the first time since 2008 and earn a top playoff seeding in the Eastern Conference. However, his scoring dipped to 10.2 points during the playoffs, which played a role in their early exit from the postseason against the eighth-seeded Orlando in a tightly contested seven-game series against Cleveland.
Originally selected 13th overall by Charlotte in 2022, Duren was acquired by Detroit in a draft-night trade. Over his first three seasons in the NBA, he has averaged over 11 points per game and achieved a career-high of 11.6 rebounds during his second season. This report includes information from The Associated Press.