Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren plans to meet with the Sacramento Kings when free agency begins to pursue a sign-and-trade deal, NBA on Prime and The Athletic reported Monday.
Duren and the Pistons were far apart in recent negotiations, per reports, with the big man eligible for a five-year, $287.1 million extension — $57.42 million per year — because he was named to the All-NBA third team this year. HoopsHype recently reported that Duren’s camp was seeking $40 million per year.
While Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in 70 games (all starts) in the regular season, his fourth season in the NBA, the first-time All-Star was far less effective in two playoff series for the top-seeded Pistons.
The eighth-seeded Orlando Magic and fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers both pushed Detroit to seven games before the Cavaliers eliminated the Pistons in the second round. Duren averaged 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds in 14 postseason games, including four games in single-figure scoring in the Cleveland series.
The Athletic reported that “the most likely scenario” in a Duren sign-and-trade to Sacramento would involve Domantas Sabonis being sent to Detroit.
Sabonis, a three-time All-Star center/forward, has career averages of 16.1 points, 10.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 665 career games for Oklahoma City (2016-17), Indiana (2017-22) and Sacramento (2022-26).
