DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons included a weight clause in their latest contract offer to restricted free agent center Jalen Duren that would require him to check his weight every month throughout the calendar year, according to a report Thursday by The Athletic’s Hunter Patterson.
League sources told Patterson that Duren and his camp were surprised by the perception that the Pistons believe his weight was partly to blame for his struggles in the 2026 playoffs. That claim came up internally after Detroit lost Game 7 of its second-round series to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and league sources said the organization privately wanted Duren to cut weight at that point.
Cleveland won that game 125-94 at Little Caesars Arena on May 17. Duren finished with 7 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists on 3-of-7 shooting in 26 minutes.
Over 14 playoff games, he averaged 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 51.4% from the field. During the regular season, Duren averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 70 games and shot 65.0% from the field. He made his first All-Star team and was named to the All-NBA Third Team. Detroit went 60-22 and finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Basketball Reference lists Duren at 6-foot-10 and 250 pounds. The 13th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, he has spent all four of his NBA seasons in Detroit.
Pistons Raised Jalen Duren Offer To Five Years And $200 Million
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the weight clause Monday on NBA Today, along with Detroit’s raised offer of five years and $200 million. In the same segment, Charania said the two sides were at an impasse and that whether Duren would report for media day was highly up in the air.
“Jalen Duren, when you talk to people close to him, feels a certain way toward the Pistons’ respect level for him,” Charania said. “Over the course of this offseason, his offer from the Pistons has been around the $180 to $190 million over five years range, and that has also included incentives like weight clauses, to my understanding, and that has all played a part in this as well.”
“Over the last several weeks, been kind of quiet on this front,” Charania continued. “The sides have picked up communication, and I am told right now the Pistons’ offer to Jalen Duren is $200 million over five years.”
Patterson, Sam Amick, and Eric Nehm of The Athletic reported earlier this week that Detroit had moved from a five-year, $190 million proposal in August to a five-year, $200 million deal that is fully guaranteed with no team or player options. Their league sources confirmed the weight clause was part of the offer. Those sources also said the clause was not in writing.
Earlier this month, Detroit agreed to a five-year, $155 million extension with Ausar Thompson. His twin brother, Amen Thompson, agreed to a five-year, $208 million rookie scale extension with the Houston Rockets. The Athletic reported that Duren believes his contract should exceed both, and that neither twin earned an All-Star or All-NBA selection last season.
Pistons Media Day Monday, Qualifying Offer Deadline Oct. 1
Detroit holds media day Monday, Sept. 28, and opens training camp the following day. According to Amick, Patterson, and Nehm, Duren might not attend media day or the start of camp unless the Pistons increase their offer or he accepts the current one, which he has already rejected.
Oct. 1 is Duren’s deadline to accept Detroit’s one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer. Signing it would put him on track for unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2027. The Athletic has reported that Duren is very seriously considering that route.
Amick and Patterson also reported that the Sacramento Kings could create enough room to sign Duren to a max contract next offseason if he reaches the open market.
Duren’s All-NBA selection made him eligible for a starting salary of up to 30% of the salary cap under the league’s Rose Rule. Spotrac’s Keith Smith projected a five-year max with Detroit at $287.1 million, beginning at $49.5 million in 2026-27.
