Jalen Duren feels “emboldened” to accept the Detroit Pistons’ $9.6 million qualifying offer for the 2026-27 season after learning that the Sacramento Kings are prepared to offer him a maximum contract next offseason, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.
Duren has until October 1 to decide whether to accept the qualifying offer, which would allow him to enter unrestricted free agency next summer. If he instead signs a long-term deal with Detroit, the Pistons would retain him under a new contract.
The possibility of taking the one-year offer has gained traction amid a contract stalemate between Duren and Detroit. Marc Spears recently reported that the 22-year-old center feels disrespected by the franchise.
“It’s not about money right now. He feels disrespected,” Spears said on NBA Today. “There’s a black cloud going into camp. They gotta try to fix it, and I don’t know if they can in time.”
The Pistons have remained focused on retaining Duren and are optimistic that an agreement can still be reached. Detroit’s latest reported proposal is worth approximately $190 million over five years, while Duren is seeking at least $200 million.
Duren’s All-NBA Third Team selection last season also significantly increased his contract value. Because of the Rose Rule, he can potentially qualify for a maximum starting salary worth 30% of the salary cap rather than the standard 25% available to players coming off rookie-scale contracts.
A maximum contract signed with Detroit could be worth approximately $287 million over five years. However, The Athletic has reported that the difference between signing a maximum deal with Detroit now and potentially receiving maximum money from another team next summer could be only around $6 million over five years.
That relatively small financial difference could make accepting the qualifying offer more appealing if Duren believes he can secure a maximum contract elsewhere.
Sacramento is reportedly among the teams interested in Duren if he reaches unrestricted free agency. Kings president of basketball operations Scott Perry has a longstanding relationship with the center, dating back to his time with the New York Knicks.
“Scott Perry has a relationship with Jalen Duren dating to when he was trying to get the Knicks to draft him which they did, but they traded him to the Pistons,” Spears said. “Duren likes Scott Perry a lot, he likes Sacramento a lot.”
Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in 70 games last season, shooting 65.0% from the field while grabbing 3.8 offensive rebounds per game. He helped Detroit finish 60-22 with the Eastern Conference’s best record.
His production dropped during the playoffs, however, as Duren averaged 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds over 14 games while shooting 51.4% from the field. Detroit eventually lost 4-3 to Cleveland in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Pistons continue to view Duren as part of their young core alongside Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson. But with the October 1 deadline approaching, Detroit must determine whether it can resolve the contract dispute and relationship concerns before Duren makes his decision.
