Clippers floated as Jalen Duren trade destination, but Pistons hold the cards

The Clippers need young talent. Jalen Duren is young, talented and still unsigned. That is enough to make Los Angeles an interesting hypothetical landing spot for the Pistons center.

Cem Yolbulan of NBA on SI makes the case for pursuing Duren in a sign-and-trade. He would give the Clippers a 22-year-old All-NBA center to build around alongside Darius Garland and Keaton Wagler.

There is a fairly large obstacle: Detroit has shown no interest in trading him.

The Pistons have offered Duren a fully guaranteed five-year, $200 million contract, which he has rejected. As we wrote earlier, Duren can accept his $9.6 million qualifying offer by Oct. 1 and become an unrestricted free agent next summer. That possibility gives his camp leverage, even if taking it would mean passing up an extraordinary amount of guaranteed money.

Yolbulan suggests a package built around Brandon Ingram or a combination of veterans, possibly with younger players added. Whether any of that would interest the Pistons is another matter. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon previously reported that Detroit was turning away teams seeking sign-and-trade discussions.

The Clippers should ask. Every team that needs a center should ask. But until the Pistons decide Duren’s contract standoff is a reason to move him, the trade proposals are just proposals.