SiriusXM NBA Radio: ‘He's ours, we're happy to have him. I know Trajan Langdon is excited, JB Bickerstaff loves him. He's ours and hopefully, we get things worked out.’ Pistons advisor Dwane Casey discusses Jalen Duren’s playoff struggles and how Detroit’s front office is feeling as both sides have yet to come to an extension
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Keith Smith: Factoring in the reported contracts for John Collins, Kevin Huerter & Javonte Green and the Gary Harris/Taurean Prince acquisitions, I've got the Pistons at about $42.8M under the luxury tax. That's enough room to give Jalen Duren a 25% of the cap max without going into the tax. — 7/7/2026 x.com
The primary reason the Lakers likely chose Kessler over offering a max deal to Detroit Pistons restricted free agent Jalen Duren is that Kessler is one of the NBA’s best rim protectors. He’s the kind of interior presence a team needs if it’s going to employ Dončić and Reaves on the perimeter as primary playmakers. In 2024-25, Kessler’s last full(ish) season, he contested 7.5 shots per game at the rim, according to NBA.com, which tied for the fifth-most in the league. On those shots, he allowed opponents to shoot just 54.8 percent. Among the 16 players in the league to contest at least six shots per game that season, that percentage ranked third behind only Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren, who were the top two finalists for Defensive Player of the Year this season. In the three full seasons he has played, Kessler has blocked at least 2.3 shots per game. — 7/2/2026 New York Times
The Pistons have maintained their stance that they’re not interested in sign-and-trade scenarios for Jalen Duren and will continue to try to bridge the gap between both sides and get a deal done. Duren and Domantas Sabonis share the same agency, The Team. With Sabonis, 30, naturally looking to compete in the prime of his career instead of beginning a rebuild, and the Kings exploring the trade market for Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan, it’s easy to see why this Duren sign-and-trade scenario would appeal to Sacramento. On paper, however, going from the 22-year-old Duren to the 30-year-old Sabonis, who’s owed $94.08 million over the next two years, isn’t prudent for Detroit. — 7/2/2026 HoopsHype
x.com
Keith Smith: Factoring in the reported contracts for John Collins, Kevin Huerter & Javonte Green and the Gary Harris/Taurean Prince acquisitions, I've got the Pistons at about $42.8M under the luxury tax. That's enough room to give Jalen Duren a 25% of the cap max without going into the tax. — 7/7/2026 x.com
The primary reason the Lakers likely chose Kessler over offering a max deal to Detroit Pistons restricted free agent Jalen Duren is that Kessler is one of the NBA’s best rim protectors. He’s the kind of interior presence a team needs if it’s going to employ Dončić and Reaves on the perimeter as primary playmakers. In 2024-25, Kessler’s last full(ish) season, he contested 7.5 shots per game at the rim, according to NBA.com, which tied for the fifth-most in the league. On those shots, he allowed opponents to shoot just 54.8 percent. Among the 16 players in the league to contest at least six shots per game that season, that percentage ranked third behind only Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren, who were the top two finalists for Defensive Player of the Year this season. In the three full seasons he has played, Kessler has blocked at least 2.3 shots per game. — 7/2/2026 New York Times
The Pistons have maintained their stance that they’re not interested in sign-and-trade scenarios for Jalen Duren and will continue to try to bridge the gap between both sides and get a deal done. Duren and Domantas Sabonis share the same agency, The Team. With Sabonis, 30, naturally looking to compete in the prime of his career instead of beginning a rebuild, and the Kings exploring the trade market for Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan, it’s easy to see why this Duren sign-and-trade scenario would appeal to Sacramento. On paper, however, going from the 22-year-old Duren to the 30-year-old Sabonis, who’s owed $94.08 million over the next two years, isn’t prudent for Detroit. — 7/2/2026 HoopsHype
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