The Los Angeles Clippers have too much going on right now to think much about what next summer could look like, but once they get everything from the front office structure to the Kawhi Leonard trade sorted out, they'll have the capacity to shift some of their focus to the future. Which players can they try to target? Perhaps Jalen Duren?
He's stuck in a restricted free agency stalemate with the Pistons, and the deadline to accept his $9.6 million qualifying offer is rapidly approaching on Oct. 1. As Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported on Thursday, Duren is preparing for that possibility (subscription required).
One source briefed on the process says Duren is increasingly prepared to play out the coming season on his $9.6 million qualifying offer — with the intent to become an unrestricted free agent next summer — if no deal with Detroit materializes by the end of September.
Maybe his camp is bluffing, trying to push the Pistons closer to the $40 million average annual value that Duren is seeking. It would be extremely risky for him to play out the season on his qualifying offer, especially since ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported at the beginning of September that Detroit offered the center a five-year deal worth $35 million annually. That's still a large sum of money.
But if Duren doesn't see it that way, thinking he's worth more, he could set himself up to be an unrestricted free agent in 2027, clearing the path for the Clippers to go after him.
Duren could be an UFA next summer
Los Angeles could create $50 million in cap space next summer, and if Duren prioritizes money over all else, which would be the case if he takes his qualifying offer, the Clippers might have a shot at him.
There's no way of knowing what the 2026-27 season will look like for Duren, and how much money he could command on the open market. Assuming that he stays on the track he's on, coming off a season where he averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds, he could step in and be Los Angeles' new face of the franchise, alongside Keaton Wagler (hopefully).
The Clippers could pitch him on revitalizing an organization that desperately needs it after their future took a hit for violating the league's salary cap rules. That'd be a hard sell for most players, but maybe not as much for Duren, as he could get his money and live and play in Los Angeles.
He'll turn 23 in November, and as more of an established player, he'd potentially be a long-term piece that the Clippers could construct their future around. Of course, this doesn't mean LA should overpay for him next offseason, but depending on how the chips fall, adding Duren could be possible.
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