Jalen Duren and Pistons Are Far Apart on a New Deal. Sacramento Wants In.

Jalen Duren might not be a Piston for much longer. And the Sacramento Kings are trying to make that happen.

According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, the restricted free agent center and the Detroit Pistons are at a sizable distance in contract extension talks. So Duren plans to meet with Sacramento when free agency opens, with the goal of working out a sign-and-trade that sends him out of Detroit.

Haynes posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the meeting is happening at the start of free agency and the intention is to structure a sign-and-trade. The Kings have been one of the more active teams in rumor season — they’re looking to build around De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, and Duren would give them a younger, athletic big man who can rebound and finish around the rim.

Duren is only 20 years old and already put up solid numbers last season: 9.1 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, plus a 62.3% field goal percentage. He’s not a stretch five — his range doesn’t go far beyond the paint — but his energy, rebounding, and rim-running fit a specific need in Sacramento. The Kings already have Sabonis as a playmaking big, but they lack depth behind him and could use a more traditional center in certain matchups.

The money question

The holdup with Detroit seems to be about money. Duren is a restricted free agent, meaning the Pistons can match any offer sheet he signs. But if the gap is really that wide, a sign-and-trade might be the cleanest way for both sides to move on. Detroit gets assets back instead of losing him for nothing. Sacramento gets the player without having to use cap space on a full max offer sheet and hope Detroit doesn’t match.

It’s not a done deal by any means. The Kings have to put together a trade package that works under the salary cap and gives Detroit something worth taking. That could mean including a young player or a future pick, possibly both.

But the fact that Duren is willing to meet with Sacramento right at the start of free agency tells you he’s serious about leaving. And the Kings are serious about adding a frontcourt piece who can grow with their core.

More details should come out once free agency officially opens. For now, this is the biggest name attached to Sacramento this summer.