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Hunter Patterson: Pistons overcome a slow start to beat the Nets 110-94. Detroit is now 5-1 and 1-0 in cup play. Cade (20), Ron (18), Duncan (17), BBall (12) and Ausar (11) all scored in double figures. Ausar had a game-high six assists and no turnovers. Javonte was a game-high +20 in 22mins.
Sam Amick: "When the Kings and Domantas Sabonis's camp pitched him to Detroit potentially as part of the Jalen Duren situation, I thought that was very revealing and this happened over the summer if anybody missed it. Duren was trying to get a deal done with the Pistons and so it was going to be a potential sign-and-trade. I thought it was fascinating and revealing that a team like the Pistons, where I think Sabonis would fit pretty well, just absolutely showed no interest."
NBA Trade Machine: On HoopsMatic over the past 24 hours, Karl-Anthony Towns showed up in 3.6% of all trades built. Among those, he was most often sent to Houston (18.5%), Detroit (9.3%), and Denver (7.4%), and the return pieces that came up most often were Jabari Smith (16.7%), Alperen Sengun (13.0%), and Reed Sheppard (11.1%).
NBA Trade Machine: De'Aaron Fox was part of 6.3% of the trades built on HoopsMatic over the past 24 hours. Of those trades, his top destinations were Detroit (10.3%), Minnesota (10.3%), and Chicago (10.3%). The most common players sent back for him were Cade Cunningham (10.3%), Anthony Edwards (10.3%), and Nicolas Claxton (10.3%).
The Pistons had heard Leonard wasn't interested in coming to Detroit amid the Clippers' cap-circumvention scandal, per league sources, and the Rockets weren't willing to engage on Kevin Durant despite the close relationship he shares with Cunningham. As for Reaves, once the Lakers blew him away with a max contract offer, he wasn't going anywhere -- he'd already turned down being drafted by Detroit under the Troy Weaver era to go the undrafted route and sign with the Lakers a few years ago.
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NBA Trade Machine: 4.6% of trades built on HoopsMatic over the past 24 hours involved Nikola Jovic. Of his trades, the most common landing spots were Detroit (15.8%), Dallas (10.5%), and Brooklyn (7.9%), while the most common return players were Ron Holland (10.5%), Patrick Williams (3.9%), and Caleb Martin (3.9%).
Only four players from that class have already secured extensions as the deadline draws ever closer: No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio), No. 16 Keyonte George (Utah) and twins No. 4 Amen Thompson (Houston) and No. 5 Ausar Thompson (Detroit). The strongest candidates to join that list in coming days, league sources say, are No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller (Charlotte), No. 6 Anthony Black (Orlando), No. 10 Cason Wallace (Oklahoma City) and No. 19 Brandin Podziemski (Golden State).
Bobby Marks: Here is the difference of Jalen Duren signing with Detroit for 5/200M compared to the Qualifying Offer and max salary in 2027. There is certainly a significant risk and Duren needs to know $189M is waiting for him, but there is not much difference in the $$. With Detroit: 2026-27: 34,482,759 / 2027-28: 37,241,379 / 2028-29: 40,000,000 / 2029-30: 42,758,621 / 2030-31: 45,517,241 = 200,000,000. QO +2027 Max offer: 2026-27: 9,615,393 / 2027-28: 44,000,000 / 2028-29: 46,200,000 / 2029-30: 48,400,000 / 2030-31: 50,600,000 = 198,815,393
A report published Wednesday by The Athletic's Sam Amick and Hunter Patterson initially corroborated Spears. At first, the article "confirmed an ESPN report indicating that the Washington Wizards would have interest in a Duren-for-Anthony Davis trade," which was supposedly not of interest to Detroit. The Athletic later removed the Wizards mention from the article entirely and included an amendment clarifying that the earlier reporting was erroneous. "An earlier version of this article incorrectly reported that the Wizards would have interest in a potential Duren-Anthony Davis sign-and-trade. The article has been corrected by removing that reference," the amendment read.
To this point, league sources say Detroit has continued to refuse to engage with interested teams regarding sign-and-trade talks. The Sacramento Kings and Milwaukee Bucks are among the teams known to be seriously interested in Duren. The Kings, league sources say, have not spoken to the Pistons since late June. League sources also confirmed an ESPN report indicating that the Washington Wizards would have interest in a Duren-for-Anthony Davis trade, but that scenario – like all the others – does not appear to be of interest to the Pistons.
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Carmelo Anthony: "If I'm Detroit, I'm paying (Jalen Duren). 22 years old. We just come off a 60 win season, regardless of what happened in the playoffs. I'm 22, I'm going to get better. I have to get better. So if I get better, this team gets better. Let's assume Cade is going to get better. Let's assume Thompson is going to get better. Let's assume Jalen is going to get better. So now you have this core that you are going to have for the next four, five years. I'd rather go compete with that core and build around that than let this man leave."
The Pistons, to this point, are not. Detroit has been steadfast in its unwillingness to deal Duren, sources say, believing they have offered market value for the 22-year old center. Which leaves a decision for Duren. Does he accept the Pistons deal? Or does he bet on himself—again—and sign the one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer? The latter option will cost him millions in unrecoverable income but set him up to be an unrestricted free agent next summer. Stay tuned.
Here’s what it will take: Money, and more of it than the $200 million the Pistons are reportedly willing to pay Duren over the next five seasons. Clearly, Duren and his representatives believe there is more cash out there. Sacramento and Milwaukee have interest in Duren, a source confirmed, and likely would plus-up the offer if Detroit was willing to play ball on a sign-and-trade.
Barring an extension of the deadline at Detroit’s discretion, Duren has until 11:59 PM ET on Thursday to do what he has been contemplating for months and sign his $9.6 million qualifying offer for the 2026-27 season with the intent to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Is he truly willing to leave hundreds of millions of dollars on the table — with Detroit said to be offering a five-year deal worth up to $200 million — to gain much more control over his future than he has as an RFA? As we've written before: There will be leaguewide skepticism until it actually happens … even though negotiations have proven far more contentious than anyone imagined when last season ended.