Jalen Duren’s 10.1 PPG Playoff Dip Hits Pistons Roster Plans
Jalen Duren’s role changed in the Pistons roster on Wednesday. He sat for the fourth quarter and overtime of Detroit’s Game 5 loss, with Paul Reed taking those minutes instead.
Duren’s Playoff Slide
Duren has averaged 10.1 points and 8.3 rebounds through 12 playoff games. That is a sharp drop from the 22.6 points and 10.7 rebounds he posted after the All-Star break on 67.8% shooting.
Detroit did not stick with him in the final stretch of Game 5. Reed handled the late minutes as the Pistons tried to close out a game that went past regulation.
Restricted Free Agency Pressure
The postseason slump reaches beyond one box score. Duren is set to reach restricted free agency this summer, and league chatter has already tied his playoff form to how Detroit approaches the next contract.
One Eastern Conference executive put the market risk bluntly: “He’s not a max player, but they’re probably going to have to give him the max.” The same executive added, “Because now teams (with cap room) like Chicago or Brooklyn might see him as someone they could get with a max offer sheet and Detroit will have to match.”
The executive also said, “With the new apron rules, it might come back to bite (the Pistons), and it’s just another example of how the CBA crushes team building.” That leaves Detroit weighing a player who has produced well in stretches but has not carried that form into the postseason.
Ausar Thompson’s Contract
The Pistons’ offseason is not limited to Duren. Ausar Thompson is also headed toward a tricky negotiation, and some league insiders expect his next deal could reach about $25 million per year.
Thompson, a Defensive Player of the Year finalist, is eligible for a rookie scale extension ahead of his fourth NBA season. He made six three-pointers all season and converted 57.1% of his free throws, which only adds to the pressure on Detroit’s front office as it sorts through its roster decisions.
For Duren, the immediate issue is simple: the late-game benching in Game 5 and the 10.1 points per game in the playoffs are now part of his contract case. Detroit has one big offseason decision, and the way he finished this series will sit at the center of it.
