The Detroit Pistons’ front office remains hesitant to offer Jalen Duren a full maximum contract as the organization looks to maintain long-term salary-cap flexibility.
With free-agency negotiations currently at a standstill and no outside offer sheet in place, former Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart has stepped forward with a strong endorsement of Duren’s value.
Isaiah Stewart Urges Pistons to Pay Jalen Duren
The Pistons finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference in the 2025-26 regular season (60-22) before narrowly advancing to the conference semifinals behind Cade Cunningham’s playmaking and Duren’s frontcourt impact. After earning All-NBA honors, Duren became eligible for a five-year, $287 million supermax contract.
Following his breakout campaign, Duren and his representatives believe his production has established him as a legitimate max-contract player. Detroit clearly wants the 22-year-old back for the future, but formal negotiations between the franchise and Duren’s camp remained paused as of early August after his output trailed off in the playoffs.
During an interview with Andscape, Stewart, who was shipped to the Memphis Grizzlies this offseason, argued that Duren has already done enough to justify receiving a lucrative new contract from the Pistons.
“It’s tricky, but he proved he’s worth what he’s asking for to the organization, if you ask me,” Stewart said. “They act like they want him to prove it [before last season], and I felt he proved it. He was an All-Star and third-team All-NBA. I feel like he should get paid. He’s a huge core piece. Bring him back.”
Duren is coming off the best season of his young NBA career, earning his first All-Star and All-NBA selections after averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. His development has significantly increased his value and strengthened his case for a major long-term payday despite his relatively modest 2026 postseason stats (10.2 ppg and 8.5 rpg).
The Pistons continue to weigh Duren’s contract against their broader financial plans and future roster flexibility. Still, Stewart believes the organization should prioritize rewarding the young big man for his steady improvement.
“He’s been getting better every year,” Stewart added. “Third-year All-Star? Like, come on, give him the bag. But at the same time, I hope it works out, and I hope he gets that money at the end of the day.”
Isaiah Stewart says former teammate Jalen Duren deserves to get paid by the Pistons.
“They act like they want him to prove it, and I felt he proved it. He was an All-Star, third-team All-NBA. I feel like he should get paid. He’s a huge core piece… Third-year All-Star? Like… pic.twitter.com/vHk1kMEN5T
— NBABase (@TheNBABase) August 9, 2026
At this point, Detroit appears unwilling to commit to the full max, while a sign-and-trade scenario also seems unlikely. With negotiations remaining unresolved, Duren is reportedly seriously considering accepting his $9.6 million qualifying offer instead.
Accepting the qualifying offer would allow Duren to enter unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2027, giving him complete control over his next destination. However, choosing that route would also mean turning down the security of a guaranteed long-term contract. The decision could ultimately determine both his future in Detroit and his value on the open market.
