Jalen Duren’s postseason struggles may have changed Detroit’s timeline originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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For most of the regular season, Jalen Duren looked like one of the NBA’s next young stars ready to secure a massive max extension. Then the playoffs arrived, and suddenly the conversation around the Detroit Pistons center became much more complicated.
In his latest ESPN free agency rankings, Bobby Marks projected Duren to sign a five-year, $180 million extension with Detroit. While that is still franchise-level money, it is significantly below the type of supermax-level projection Duren appeared headed toward after his breakout regular season.
The shift largely comes back to how dramatically his production declined during the playoffs. Duren averaged a career-high 19.5 points during the regular season and dominated opponents in the paint. He became the first player since Charles Barkley in the late 1980s to record multiple games with at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and 80 percent shooting in the same season. Detroit also consistently performed better with him on the floor throughout the year.
But the postseason exposed areas where Duren still needs development.
Detroit still believes in its young core
According to Marks, Duren averaged just 10.2 points per game during the playoffs, one of the sharpest scoring declines ever for a first-time All-Star. During key stretches against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit actually performed better with Duren on the bench. That type of postseason regression matters when front offices begin discussing contracts approaching $200 million.
Still, the Pistons clearly remain committed to Duren long term. Team executive Trajan Langdon publicly backed the young center after the season and emphasized confidence that Duren will improve after learning from the playoff experience. The bigger question now becomes whether Detroit views Duren as a future unquestioned superstar or simply a major piece of a larger core.
That distinction could shape the entire direction of the Pistons’ rebuild moving forward.