RADIO
Jalen Duren Agrees to Five-Year, $200 Million Deal with Pistons
All-NBA center Jalen Duren has agreed to a five-year, $200 million fully guaranteed contract to return to the Detroit Pistons, ESPN's Shams Charania reports. The deal ends a prolonged restricted free agency standoff just before his $9.6 million qualifying offer expired. The 22-year-old broke out in 2025-26, averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds on 65.0 percent shooting across 70 starts. With Isaiah Stewart traded to Memphis in June, Duren should face little competition for center minutes, as John Collins projects as the main frontcourt alternative. That makes him a points, rebounds, and field-goal percentage anchor, even with just 0.8 blocks per game. The bigger question is whether Duren can sustain his scoring after it slipped to 10.2 points per game in the playoffs.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Jalen Duren Skips Pistons Media Day
Restricted free-agent center Jalen Duren skipped Monday's media day and will miss the start of Detroit Pistons training camp as contract negotiations remain stalled, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The 22-year-old has yet to accept Detroit's fully guaranteed five-year, $200 million offer and faces a Thursday deadline on his one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer. Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds on 65.0 percent shooting across 70 games last season while earning All-NBA Third Team honors. If the standoff continues, Paul Reed could see a sizable increase in center minutes after averaging 7.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in 13.9 minutes last season.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Jalen Duren Expected to Miss Pistons Media Day
Restricted free agent center Jalen Duren is expected to miss Monday's media day as contract negotiations with the Detroit Pistons remain stalled, according to Sam Amick and Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. The 22-year-old has until Oct. 1 to accept a one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer after Detroit offered him a fully guaranteed five-year, $200 million deal. Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds on 65.0 percent shooting last season while earning All-Star and All-NBA Third Team honors. With Isaiah Stewart now in Memphis, an extended Duren absence could push Paul Reed into a much larger role after he averaged 10.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks when playing at least 10 minutes last season.
Source: Hunter Patterson
Source: Hunter Patterson
Gary Harris Waived by Pistons
The Detroit Pistons have waived guard/forward Gary Harris, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto. The 32-year-old arrived from Milwaukee alongside Taurean Prince in the July trade that sent Caris LeVert to the Bucks. Harris averaged a career-low 2.7 points in 13.8 minutes across 48 games last season, though he shot 41.2 percent from three. He hasn't topped 65 appearances in a season since 2017-18 and faced a crowded Detroit perimeter rotation that includes Isaiah Joe and Kevin Huerter. His departure has little fantasy impact, while the open roster spot could prove useful with restricted free agent Jalen Duren still unsigned.
Source: Michael Scotto
Source: Michael Scotto
Cade Cunningham Aims to Build on MVP-Caliber Season
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham enters 2026-27 looking to build on a season that saw him finish fifth in MVP voting. The former No. 1 pick averaged 23.9 points, 9.9 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks across 64 games while leading Detroit to a 60-22 record. His 13-point, 5-for-16 showing in the Game 7 loss to Cleveland showed there is still room for growth as a scorer. Detroit added much-needed shooting in Isaiah Joe and John Collins, which should give Cunningham more space to operate and keep him among fantasy basketball's top playmakers.
Source: Coty M. Davis
Source: Coty M. Davis
Drake Allen Lands Training Camp Deal with Pistons
The Detroit Pistons have signed guard Drake Allen to a training camp contract, according to Paul Garcia of The Spot Up Shot. The move follows the Exhibit 10 agreement reported by The Athletic's Hunter Patterson shortly after Allen went undrafted in June. The former Utah State guard averaged 7.9 points, 4.7 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.9 steals in 25.5 minutes last season, ranking second in the Mountain West in steals. With Cade Cunningham and first-round pick Ebuka Okorie among the guards ahead of him, Allen has a tough path to NBA minutes in Detroit. A stint with the Motor City Cruise looks more likely, leaving him as a developmental name to monitor for now.
Source: Paul Garcia
Source: Paul Garcia
Jalen Duren Weighs Pistons' $200 Million Offer
Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren remains at an impasse with the team despite Detroit increasing its offer to five years and $200 million, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Charania added that Duren's attendance at media day and training camp is "highly up in the air and questionable." The 22-year-old earned his first All-Star selection and All-NBA Third Team honors after averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds on 65.0 percent shooting last season. If the standoff carries into camp, Paul Reed would be positioned for increased center minutes, with John Collins also capable of absorbing more frontcourt work.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Ausar Thompson Agrees to Five-Year Extension with Pistons
Detroit Pistons guard/forward Ausar Thompson has agreed to a five-year, $155 million rookie-scale extension, ESPN's Shams Charania reports. The fully guaranteed deal follows a season in which Thompson earned All-Defensive First Team honors and finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting. The 23-year-old averaged 9.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.9 blocks across 73 games while shooting 52.5 percent from the field. His 6-for-24 mark from three and 57.1 percent free-throw shooting remain fantasy concerns, but Thompson's elite steals production gives him considerable value even without much scoring. More minutes would only raise his defensive-stat ceiling.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Jalen Duren Weighs $9.6 Million Qualifying Offer
Restricted free-agent center Jalen Duren has turned down a five-year offer in the $190 million range from the Detroit Pistons and is seriously considering his $9.6 million qualifying offer, according to The Athletic's Sam Amick and Hunter Patterson. Taking that route would put the 22-year-old on track for unrestricted free agency in 2027, with Sacramento reportedly among three serious suitors. Duren is still expected to open as Detroit's starting center if he returns, and the fantasy case remains strong after he averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks on 65.0 percent shooting in 28.2 minutes last season. He earned All-Star and All-NBA Third Team honors, and Isaiah Stewart's move to Memphis leaves Paul Reed as the main backup center. A qualifying-offer season would add trade-deadline risk, but Duren's boards, efficiency, and expanded-minute upside remain strong.
Source: Sam Amick and Hunter Patterson
Source: Sam Amick and Hunter Patterson
Paul Reed Primed for Expanded Role with Pistons
Detroit Pistons forward/center Paul Reed is in line for a more featured role as the team's backup big this season, according to Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. Patterson views Detroit's decision to trade Isaiah Stewart to Memphis as a vote of confidence in Reed, who earned the promotion in the playoffs. The former G-League MVP forced his way into the rotation against Cleveland in the second round, averaging 11.4 points and 5.0 rebounds in roughly 13 minutes per game while going 24-for-34 from the field. With Stewart's 22.7 minutes a night now up for grabs, Reed's 61.7 percent shooting from last season and his knack for steals and blocks give him legitimate late-round appeal. His value could climb even higher if restricted free agent Jalen Duren's contract standoff drags into training camp.
Source: Hunter Patterson
Source: Hunter Patterson
Ron Holland II Rebuilding His Jump Shot This Offseason
Detroit Pistons forward Ron Holland II has spent the offseason working to become more of a perimeter threat, Roundtable's Eric Rutter reports. The former No. 5 pick shot just 25.3 percent from three last season, and the spacing issue followed him into the playoffs, where his role collapsed and he picked up multiple DNPs. Holland still averaged 8.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.2 steals in 19.9 minutes across 78 regular-season games, so the defensive profile remains useful. The problem is the crowd. Detroit added Isaiah Joe, Taurean Prince, and Gary Harris this summer, while Duncan Robinson and Kevin Huerter are already in the shooting mix. Holland has the tools to force his way into minutes, but until the jumper shows up in games, he is more of a camp monitor than a draft-day target.
Source: Eric Rutter
Source: Eric Rutter
Ron Holland II in Line for Bigger Role with Detroit
Detroit Pistons forward Ron Holland II should have a more pronounced role next season, according to Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. The opening is partly defensive after Detroit traded Isaiah Stewart to Memphis in June, but the bigger fantasy swing comes on offense. Patterson notes that Detroit needs either Holland or Ausar Thompson to become a more reliable scoring piece, leaving Holland with a cleaner path if his jumper and handle take a step. The 21-year-old averaged 8.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.2 steals in 19.9 minutes across 78 games last season, including five starts. The defensive stats are useful, but his 25.3 percent three-point shooting keeps the ceiling shaky. John Collins and Taurean Prince give J.B. Bickerstaff veteran alternatives, so Holland is a camp name to track rather than a locked-in fantasy target.
Source: Hunter Patterson
Source: Hunter Patterson
Kings Eyeing Jalen Duren in 2027 Free Agency
ESPN's Anthony Slater reports that Sacramento Kings general manager Scott Perry met with Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren in early July and explored a sign-and-trade concept involving Domantas Sabonis. Detroit balked at losing Duren for Sabonis, leaving the Kings with no clean path unless Duren accepts his $9.6 million qualifying offer and reaches unrestricted free agency in 2027. The 22-year-old is coming off an All-Star, Third-Team All-NBA season, averaging 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists on 65.0 percent shooting across 70 starts. His 2026-27 fantasy outlook stays tied to Detroit for now, where he projects as the starting center if he re-signs or plays on the qualifying offer. Sacramento's interest says more about Domantas Sabonis' uncertain future than Duren's immediate fantasy outlook.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Pistons Guarantee Paul Reed's Salary for 2026-27
The Detroit Pistons fully guaranteed center Paul Reed's $5.6 million salary for the 2026-27 season, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. Reed's backup-center path looks cleaner after Detroit traded Isaiah Stewart to Memphis, and Jalen Duren remains unsigned as a restricted free agent. Reed averaged 7.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in 13.9 minutes across 65 games last season, but his per-minute production popped when Detroit needed more. He averaged 11.4 points and 5.0 rebounds in 13.0 minutes over five second-round games against Cleveland, shooting 24-for-34 from the field, and the Pistons went 8-3 in his 11 starts. If Duren signs, Reed is a useful reserve. If Duren's talks drag, Reed could open camp with a real minutes bump.
Source: Jake Fischer
Source: Jake Fischer
Pistons Rule Out Sign-and-Trade Offers for Jalen Duren
Restricted free-agent center Jalen Duren remains firmly in Detroit's plans, with ESPN's Tim MacMahon reporting on The Hoop Collective that the Pistons have told rival teams they are "absolutely positively 100 percent" committed to keeping him. Any team pursuing a sign-and-trade is wasting its time, per MacMahon, leaving Duren nearly two months into an unresolved standoff with Detroit. The first-time All-Star averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.8 blocks on 65.0 percent shooting across 70 games last season. Duren became eligible for a five-year max worth $287.1 million after earning All-NBA honors, while Jake Fischer has pointed to a possible four-year deal around $160 million. The contract noise should not knock him down fantasy boards. Detroit traded Isaiah Stewart to Memphis and has Paul Reed as the main center depth behind Duren, so the minutes and volume are waiting. The main risk is Duren taking the roughly $9.6 million qualifying offer and playing out a lame-duck year.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
