Jalen Duren was both relieved and excited after signing a new five-year, $200 million deal to return to the Detroit Pistons after a contract negotiation that took "longer than both he and the organization anticipated." During his first news conference after signing, he wanted to clarify narratives that emerged during the negotiation, repeating that he was happy in Detroit. "Detroit has become a home for me," Duren told reporters.
"This process took way longer than any of us really wanted," said Duren, who missed media day and the first few practices of training camp after a four-month standoff. They eventually agreed on a fully guaranteed contract late Thursday night. On Sunday, sitting next to team president Trajan Langdon, Duren said he wanted to be in Detroit for the rest of his career.
The standoff came following the best regular season of the 22-year-old center's career. He averaged a career high in points (19.5), made his first All-Star team and was named to the All-NBA third team. But he struggled in the postseason, dropping to 10.2 points per game. Duren said he took a step back to get his head right following a postseason he described as "humbling," and he acknowledged his own silence allowed narratives to emerge.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing