NBA Exec: Jalen Duren Could Be Traded by Pistons If DET Lands Victor Wembanyama
May 16, 2023
Jalen Duren's time with the Detroit Pistons could soon be coming to an end.
If the Pistons land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft and the right to select Victor Wembanyama, one Eastern Conference executive believes Duren could be traded, per Heavy.com's Sean Deveney.
"They probably could get a top-10 pick for him this year," the executive said. "He has a lot of Robert Williams qualities, and he is like Williams because it might take a little time to polish. You can't really play him and Wemby together, so he'd have to go. It would be crazy to see the market on him; he is still mostly upside."
The Pistons have the best odds to win the draft lottery at 14 percent alongside the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs.
If Detroit lands the No. 1 pick and Wembanyama, the franchise will have to move at least one of its four centers this summer. Isaiah Stewart and Marvin Bagley III can play power forward, as Deveney notes, which leaves Duren and James Wiseman on the chopping block.
Wiseman's trade value is minimal at best, and Deveney adds that Duren "would be especially coveted on the trade market."
The Charlotte Hornets selected Duren 13th overall in the 2022 draft out of Memphis, and Detroit acquired him in a three-way deal on draft night.
The 19-year-old was highly impressive during his rookie season, averaging 9.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 67 games, primarily off the bench, while shooting 64.8 percent from the floor. He was named to the 2022-23 All-Rookie Team alongside Jaden Ivey.
The addition of Wembanyama would leave Duren as the odd man out as the Frenchman is expected to be a generational talent that can alter a franchise forever.
It's unclear which teams might have an interest in acquiring Duren this summer, though the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks could use a center.
Duren is under contract through 2026 and has club options for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons. Given the term on his deal, he'll be even more desirable for clubs searching for a center this offseason.