Jalen Duren is a name the LA Clippers should have on their watch list, especially after the latest update from Shams Charania. The ESPN NBA insider reported that the Pistons upped their offer to the center to $200 million over five years, which you'd think would get him to sign, but no. He's still a restricted free agent.
Marc Spears said last week on ESPN that he heard it wasn't about the money for Duren and noted how disrespected the center felt. Now that we know the Pistons gave him what he wanted—at least $200 million (subscription required), as Sam Amick and Hunter Patterson of The Athletic reported—and that apparently wasn't enough, it's worth wondering if what he wants most is to leave Detroit.
The most the Clippers, or another team like the Kings, who are closely monitoring Duren's situation, can offer the center next summer is a four-year, $275 million deal. Even if he bets on himself, accepts his $9.6 million qualifying offer, and signs a max as an unrestricted free agent in 2027, that'd still come in at less than $200 million.
If he is willing to leave that kind of money on the table to leave the Pistons, the Clippers really may be an option.
It might not be about the money for Duren
If you had to predict Duren's next team right now, Sacramento would come out on top, since we know he's interested in the Kings, and vice versa. That doesn't mean that they'll be the only team vying for his services.
With the Clippers losing five first-round picks as a penalty for the cap-circumvention scandal, they could bring in young talent elsewhere, such as through free agency or a trade. It's understandable to wonder if they would have a real shot at Duren, given the situation the organization put itself in, but at the end of the day, playing in Los Angeles is still a top selling point. Intuit Dome is another perk.
The Clippers can make Duren feel wanted. They can roll out the red carpet for him (just no more under-the-table deals, please) and paint him a picture of what his life could look like in LA. He'd get to pull the team back to relevance again (or as close as they were to it), just like he did in Detroit.
That will depend on whether he plays out the season on his qualifying offer and, more importantly, can stay healthy. Given where Duren is right now with Detroit, the first part feels possible.
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