Jalen Duren Excited to Stay in Detroit After Signing Five-Year, $200 Million Deal.
Jalen Duren is staying in Detroit after reaching a five-year, $200 million fully guaranteed agreement with the Pistons, ending a lengthy contract negotiation between the two sides.
Duren returned to the team after missing media day and the opening practices of training camp while negotiations continued. The 22-year-old center made clear Sunday that he remains committed to Detroit and views the city as his home. The negotiations lasted approximately four months before the Pistons and Duren reached an agreement Thursday night. The deal came before the deadline for Duren to accept a one-year qualifying offer.
Duren acknowledged that going through a major contract negotiation for the first time gave him a better understanding of the business side of professional basketball. He emphasized that both his representatives and the Pistons were working toward an agreement that benefited both sides. The new contract follows Duren's strongest regular season to date. He averaged a career-high 19.5 points per game, earned his first All-Star selection and was named to the All-NBA Third Team. Detroit also finished as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
