Los Angeles Lakers fans went into a frenzy after NBA insider Sam Amick reported that Jalen Duren wants a sign-and-trade out of Detroit. Amick dropped the news on Friday in his latest article for The Athletic, saying that Duren isn’t satisfied with the Pistons’ initial offer.
Duren is eligible for a five-year, $287.1 million extension. However, after a solid regular season in which he averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while shooting 65.0% from the field, Duren saw a major dip across all stats in the playoffs. He tallied 10.2 ppg and 8.5 rpg, shooting 51.4% from the field, which may have led to the Pistons’ underwhelming offer.
“All-NBA forward Jalen Duren was underwhelmed by the Detroit Pistons’ initial offer in restricted free agency and is planning to explore sign-and-trade scenarios when they are permitted on Tuesday, league sources told The Athletic,” Amick wrote.
He added:
“League sources say the gap between the two sides is large enough that Duren is now considering ways to land elsewhere, with the sign-and-trade route deemed preferable to signing an offer sheet with another team that the Pistons could, and likely would, match.”
Amick named the LA Clippers and Boston Celtics as potential suitors. The Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard and the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown are among rumored trade targets. Both players could entice Detroit in such a deal, and Duren would be of help to those teams.
While it seems an unlikely proposition, Lakers fans believe they have a shot at him. Los Angeles has previously targeted Duren, but with the Pistons center under contract and Detroit viewing him as a franchise cornerstone alongside Cade Cunningham, they didn’t budge.
Here’s what Lakers fans said after this rumor went viral:
“Ok, Robert Pelinka, this is your last chance,” one fan addressed the Lakers executive.
Two other NBA insiders don’t rule out Jaylen Brown for Jalen Duren swap
Lakers fans might see another target slip from their sights as their perennial rivals, the Celtics, could have the upper hand in landing Jalen Duren. After Sam Amick speculated on Jaylen Brown as a sign-and-trade partner, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer confirmed in their The Stein Line report about a potential deal going down between the sides.
“One more fascinating scenario that we’ve been advised not to rule out completely: A possible sign-and-trade run at Boston’s perennial All-Star Brown.
“This would certainly require Detroit to be willing to part with restricted free agent big man Jalen Duren in a sign-and-trade exchange for Brown, which would obviously clash with the Pistons’ longstanding view that Duren and Ausar Thompson are franchise pillars alongside Cunningham,” they wrote.
Brown would be an exceptional addition for the Pistons. Detroit needs another perimeter scorer and floor spacer who can take pressure off Cade Cunningham. Detroit didn’t have such a presence in the playoffs, leading to its conference semis exit.
Brown, who was in MVP talks last year, would significantly elevate the Pistons with his on-court value, locker room leadership and championship experience.
Read more:
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