The Pistons have taken the expected first step toward keeping Jalen Duren in Detroit.
According to Keith Smith of Spotrac, the Pistons have tendered Duren a qualifying offer, officially making the young center a restricted free agent.
The move was largely a formality.
Detroit has repeatedly indicated that re-signing Duren is one of its top offseason priorities, and the qualifying offer simply preserves the team’s right to match any outside offer sheet.
The bigger question is what Duren’s next contract will look like.
The 22-year-old is coming off a breakout season in which he earned his first All-Star selection and averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds while shooting 65 percent from the field. He also landed on the All-NBA Third Team and received consideration in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Not surprisingly, those accomplishments have positioned him for a significant payday. Then came the playoffs.
While Detroit enjoyed its best season in two decades, Duren struggled at times during the postseason and saw his role reduced in certain matchups. Against the Cavaliers in particular, the Pistons frequently leaned on veteran big man Paul Reed for extended stretches.
Even so, there doesn’t appear to be much doubt about how the organization views Duren.
President of basketball operations Trajan Langdon recently said the Pistons “really want” to keep him, and all signs continue to point in that direction.
If Duren reaches free agency, there will likely be plenty of interest. The Lakers, Nets and Bulls have all been mentioned as potential suitors.
MORE HOOPS | NBA free agents by team
Looking for the latest NBA Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow Hoops Wire on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NBA News and Rumors for all 30 teams!
