The Detroit Pistons might end up being an unexpected loser of the Kawhi Leonard scandal.
The LA Clippers have now emerged as a potential new suitor for Pistons center Jalen Duren in 2027, Sam Quinn of CBS Sports reported on Friday. Quinn says that the Clippers would pose a “very obvious fit” if the Pistons cannot agree to a long-term deal with Duren this offseason.
Duren, 22, remains unsigned as a restricted free agent this summer. The All-Star big man remains in a tense stalemate with Detroit, and a recent report revealed just how far off the two sides are in negotiations.
As for the Clippers, they just got the book thrown at them by the NBA this week as part of the Leonard salary-cap circumvention scandal. Most notably, the Clippers were stripped of a whopping five future first-round picks and given several other notable punishments.
Consequently, the Clippers no longer have any incentive whatsoever to be conservative with their team-building plan (since tanking will not yield a high draft pick for them), and they might also tear down their roster as currently constructed to try to replenish as much draft capital as possible. Meanwhile, the Clippers’ only centers right now are the 38-year-old Brook Lopez, the undersized Isaiah Jackson, and the injured Yanic Konan Niederhauser.
Duren is young and talented enough that he can be a long-term centerpiece for a rebuilding team. If he ultimately takes the one-year qualifying offer from the Pistons for next season or signs a two-year deal with a player option, the Clippers could potentially be lurking around the corner with a massive offer for Duren come 2027.
