Another major trade on the horizon? Sources hint the Pistons could still send Duren in a sign-and-trade deal for Boston’s Brown.

On June 26, per esteemed reporters Stein and Fischer, the possibility of a sign-and-trade between the Pistons and Celtics—sending Duren for Jaylen Brown—remains on the table.

“Another heavily debated trade scenario: sources warn us not to rule it out entirely. The Pistons could pursue Boston’s longtime All-Star Jaylen Brown through a sign-and-trade. To make that happen, Detroit would have to be willing to part with restricted free-agent big man Jalen Duren via a sign-and-trade for Brown. But this would clearly go against the Pistons’ long-term blueprint, as the team has always viewed Duren, Ausar Thompson, and Cade Cunningham as their three core pillars.”

Earlier, respected reporter Sam Amick reported that Duren was disappointed with the Pistons’ initial offer and plans to seek a sign-and-trade path while in restricted free agency.

As early as last offseason, Duren was eligible for a rookie-scale extension. According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps last November, there were almost no substantive negotiations between Duren and the Pistons before the October 20 extension deadline, mainly due to a wide gap in salary expectations.

The exact size of the salary gap is still unknown, but Amick indicated the difference is large enough that the All-Star center has started looking for alternatives.

A key factor behind the stalled talks: Duren was named to the All-NBA Third Team last season. That honor makes him eligible for a five-year max contract worth up to $287.1 million.

Based on regular-season performance, the Pistons would have been expected to keep him without hesitation. Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in the regular season, leading Detroit to 60 wins and the top seed in the East.

But in the playoffs, Duren’s production plummeted. In 14 starts, his averages dropped sharply to 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds. In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Pistons lost 113–117 to the Cavaliers, and Duren spent the entire overtime period on the bench.

While Duren was far from the only Piston to underperform in the playoffs, the team had envisioned him as the secondary star alongside Cunningham, expecting him to carry a major load.

Letting Duren test restricted free agency could benefit both sides. From the Pistons’ perspective, they can wait for another team to submit an offer sheet and then decide whether to match.

Duren, in turn, can see his market value across the league and use that offer to renegotiate with the Pistons.

Amick noted that the Pistons will likely match any contract another team offers Duren. However, with multiple big names currently in trade rumors—including Jaylen Brown, Kawhi Leonard, and Tyler Herro—the sign-and-trade window is already open, and major changes could be coming for the Pistons. Additionally, Shams reported that the Celtics have set an extremely high asking price for Brown, demanding at least four first-round picks.