​Pistons’ Jalen Duren feels ‘disrespected’ as $10M contract rift continues with dark cloud over camp originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Detroit Pistons and Jalen Duren have been throwing haymakers at one another throughout the entire offseason as they can’t come to an agreement. Duren wants a hefty contract, while the Pistons refuse to give him everything he is asking for.The young center has it all mapped out for himself; it is just a matter of whether he is actually going to accept what Detroit is offering or be stubborn. The only thing standing in Duren’s way of a lucrative contract is a $10 million rift.“Per league sources, Detroit’s last offer was a five-year deal in the $190 million range. Duren, who is eligible to receive a five-year, $287 million contract, is seeking at least $200 million,” The Athletic’s Sam Amick wrote.One would think that Duren and his camp would just give in to the Pistons, but they are doing the exact opposite. He has threatened to take the qualifying offer, but NBA reporter Chris Haynes mentioned earlier in the summer that if he goes that route, Duren really wants out.“If he takes that (qualifying offer)…he really wants out, he is fed up…he doesn’t want to be there. Even if that’s the case I would say do not do that,” Haynes said.In a recent report, NBA insider Marc Spears said he believed the relationship between the two sides is ruined and that Duren feels disrespected.“Scott Perry has a relationship with Jalen Duren dating to when he was trying to get the Knicks to draft him which they did, but they traded him to the Pistons…Duren likes Scott Perry a lot, he likes Sacramento a lot, but the Pistons, they’re focused on bringing him back, they have some optimism, but it’s complicated. I just hear that Jalen, it’s not about money right now. He feels disrespected…there’s a black cloud going into camp…they gotta try to fix it, and I don’t know if they can in time,” Spears said.At this point, the easy thing to say is that it will eventually get figured out one way or another. However, this has all the makings of an ugly ending by the time training camp gets here.If Duren feels disrespected, it is only a matter of time before he continues to hold up his side of the deal. At this point, it sure seems like neither side is going to walk away from whatever resolution comes with complete satisfaction. Even training camp is starting to look like a bleak possibility.More NBA news:Former NBA champion drops brutal Lakers championship warning with Luka Doncic, Austin ReavesHeat reportedly interested in $37M ex-Lakers injury-prone veteran, reliable shooter for final spotTimberwolves’ Jonathan Kuminga denies Lakers offered $36M contract after signing with Minnesota76ers’ LeBron James’ reported $15M agreement with company puts historic pay cut in new light