Jalen Duren’s rough playoffs have not changed the organization’s opinion on him.
Pistons president Trajan Langdon addressed Duren’s future during his end-of-season press conference Tuesday and left little doubt that the team intends to keep him for years to come.
“JD had a fantastic season. All-Star. One of the biggest contributors to us being a No. 1 seed,” Langdon told reporters. “We look forward to coming together with his representation, getting a deal done, and for him continuing to be a Piston.”
Detroit Pistons President Trajan Langdon on Jalen Duren: “JD had a fantastic season. All-Star. One of the biggest contributors to us being a No. 1 seed… We look forward to coming together with his representation, getting a deal done, and for him continuing to be a Piston.” pic.twitter.com/6pGOHgk4eE
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) May 19, 2026
Duren will become a restricted free agent this summer, and during the season, he looked like a max contract candidate. That changed after he averaged just 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game during the playoffs. While his future with the Pistons is not in any doubt, that postseason likely cost him a significant sum of money.
On the other hand, Duren was an All-Star who averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game during the regular season, and is likely in line for an All-NBA nod. That kind of production is still in there, but both he and the Pistons will have to figure out where it went wrong during the playoffs.
