Is Jalen Duren a critical piece of the Detroit Pistons roster? Yes. Is he worth a fully guaranteed, five-year, $200 million contract? Please. In a world of inflated contracts and championship desperation, it is no surprise Detroit has hit the panic button on retaining his services. However, with just one All-Star appearance, is the extent of the pay rise warranted? If Joel Embiid can feature in a higher volume of games this season, his deal will seem a lot more palatable.
Duren's contract doesn't match his individual accolades
One All-Star appearance and two All-NBA Team selections (none of which were First-Team). This is now the measuring stick for extraordinary contracts. Joel Embiid -- the 2023 MVP, seven-time All-Star, and five-time All-NBA selectee (one First-Team) -- has a contract worth around $13 million less than Duren, albeit it is two years shorter.
Duren's growth over the years has been spectacular; there is no denying that. 2025-26 was by far the best of his career, as he helped the Pistons climb to the summit of the Eastern Conference standings. The 22-year-old averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 65% from the floor.
However, his defensive contribution was far from desirable, even more so when you compare his statistics with Embiid. Duren recorded 0.8 blocks and 0.8 steals per matchup. At 6-foot-10, a center should be expected to produce much bigger numbers.
Additionally, without Duren available for selection in 2025-26 the Pistons held a record of 10 wins and 2 losses. Desperate Detroit fans may argue that the all-time record with their center in the lineup is 13-39, but let's remember the franchise's struggles in recent years. With all due respect, Duren's absence was not the reason the team wasn't winning.
Jalen Duren didn't deserve such a significant pay rise, but it provides the Philadelphia 76ers a chance to change the league's perception of Joel Embiid's deal.
Duren plays with the needle, Embiid moves it entirely
"You merely adopted the dark; I was born in it." A legendary Bane catchphrase from The Dark Knight franchise, but this is kind of what this contract reminds me of. Great, Jalen Duren does a pretty good job putting up points, makes his presence felt in the paint, and is one of the star players on his team.
Joel Embiid doesn't score points; he smashes scoring records. He doesn't make his presence felt; he sends tremors through the opposition's defense. And at the time his three-year, $187,873,836 deal was being agreed upon, Embiid was the 76ers' main inspiration for a championship.
Frankly, Embiid's numbers are ridiculous. Even though he has struggled to maintain a clean bill of health in recent seasons, Embiid has still been dominant when on the floor. During the 2025-26 season, Embiid averaged 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game.
Unfortunately, we all know why Embiid's deal is shrouded in negativity: his inability to stay healthy. It wasn't like he was healthy when he originally signed his extension; Embiid was plagued by a knee injury at the time, so the criticism is fair. Nevertheless, his commitment to the cause and his talent level are still unquestionable, and he will be critical to the 76ers' championship hopes in the future.
Jalen Duren is a great player, but in my opinion, he is not an elite one -- unlike Joel Embiid. If the Kansas alum can finally stay healthy for a long period of the season, the Pistons might have helped silence the criticism around the terms of Embiid's contract.
Add us as a preferred source on Google