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Pistons Sign Jalen Duren to $200M Five-Year Deal

By Drooid · Oct 2, 2026, 4:06 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

The Detroit Pistons signed center Jalen Duren to a five-year, $200 million fully guaranteed contract.
Duren accepted the deal about 90 minutes before the Thursday 11:59 p.m. ET deadline.
The agreement removed the previously discussed monthly weight-checking clause.
The contract makes Duren the fourth-highest-paid center overall and eighth-highest annually at $40 million.
Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings showed interest in a sign-and-trade for Duren.

History

Historical Context

After Shaquille O'Neal left the Orlando Magic and inked a seven-year, $121 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996—then a league-record salary—his later $100 million, five-year extension with Miami in 2005 reinforced the trend of mega-contracts for centers. The Pistons’ recent five-year, $200 million pact with Jalen Duren follows that inflationary path, reshaping payroll strategies across the NBA.

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Story summary

The Detroit Pistons signed center Jalen Duren to a five-year, $200 million fully guaranteed contract.
Duren accepted the deal about 90 minutes before the Thursday 11:59 p.m. ET deadline.
The agreement removed the previously discussed monthly weight-checking clause.
The contract makes Duren the fourth-highest-paid center overall and eighth-highest annually at $40 million.
Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings showed interest in a sign-and-trade for Duren.

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