Jalen Duren just turned his rise into a $200 million payday.
The Detroit Pistons have locked up their 22-year-old All-NBA center with a five-year contract extension reportedly worth $200 million, keeping one of the NBA’s top young big men in Detroit for the long haul.
The Pistons officially announced the extension Saturday but did not disclose financial terms. ESPN and The Athletic previously reported the five-year, $200 million figure.
“We’re excited to have Jalen in Detroit as a core piece of our team for years to come,” Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said.
The massive deal follows Duren’s breakout season, when he averaged career highs of 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds and earned his first All-Star selection and third-team All-NBA honors.
His emergence helped Detroit finish with the Eastern Conference’s best record at 60-22, although the Pistons’ run ended with a seven-game loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference semifinals.
Duren’s production dipped in the playoffs to 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, but Detroit clearly saw enough to make him a major part of its future.
The agreement also came with an unusual twist.
Detroit had reportedly offered Duren the same $200 million package in recent days but included a weight clause. The final agreement reportedly removed the provision.
Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff dismissed suggestions that the negotiations had created tension between Duren and the organization.
“It’s negotiation, it’s business, but there’s never been any bitterness between the group and how we feel about him and I know how he feels about us,” Bickerstaff said.
Selected 13th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, Duren has spent his entire four-year career with Detroit.
He has career averages of 13.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
