Jalen Duren Proposed Deal Sends Pistons RFA To Milwaukee

The Jalen Duren stalemate continues in Detroit, though the Pistons are still hoping to be able to sign the restricted free agent to a deal.

However, other teams continue to lurk if the two sides can't get a deal done. The process has turned "awfully nasty", so sign-and-trade rumors will continue until the two sides finally come together. 

In the meantime, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report has proposed a blockbuster sign-and-trade deal that would send the All-Star and All-NBA center to the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Milwaukee Bucks receive: 

• Jalen Duren (sign-and-trade)

Detroit Pistons receive: 

• Ryan Rollins
• Myles Turner
• 2031 first-round pick (top-five protected)

In this deal, the Pistons get to save face, and, as a team ready to win now, maybe even win the trade outright. They receive a center who has been a tremendous stretch-5 in previous years with the Indiana Pacers, helping get the team to two Conference Finals and one NBA Finals. Sure, Turner had a down season in his Bucks debut in 2025-26. He averaged his lowest numbers in points (11.9) and rebounds (5.3) in ten years. However, his three-point shooting remained elite for a 6'11" shot-blocking center (38.8%).

It's about as reasonable a return at the five spot as the Pistons could hope for if they are forced to move on from Duren. And maybe a better fit for the lineup, says Buckley.

"Myles Turner's blend of paint protection and floor spacing could create a more optimized frontcourt fit with (Ausar) Thompson." Indeed, neither Duren nor Thompson are threats from the outside. Like, at all. Turner would fix that. 

But maybe the more exciting part of this proposal for Detroit is acquiring the breakout point guard Rollins. He exploded into prominence last year in his 4th NBA season, with 17.3 points per game (over 10 better than his previous high), 5.6 assists and 1.5 steals, while being the floor leader in Milwaukee, playing 32 minutes a night. 

"Ryan Rollins... (looks) every bit like the secondary scorer and shot-creator that (Cade) Cunningham so badly needs alongside him."

Plus, Detroit would get a future first-round pick. Sounds like a pretty good deal for the Pistons. 

Why the Bucks would do this hypothetical deal

Nevertheless, with Turner 31 years old and very likely not part of the next very good Bucks team, Buckley figures the price they're paying to get an All-Star, All-NBA center at the age of 22 is worth it. 

This is a team that is rebuilding with youth after losing their superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Adding Duren, who would be right in the Bucks' timeline for contention, would "supercharge" their rebuild, writes Buckley.

"Given what (Duren) and his team just achieved last season (60 wins), he'd be a no-brainer keeper under almost any other circumstance. This contract stalemate, however, may have created an opportunity for the right buyer."

Perhaps that's the Bucks. 

All this being said, the latest report from insider Jake Fischer is that the Pistons are still expecting to re-sign Duren, for something in the neighborhood of $160M.