Jalen Duren Is Starting to Make a Lot of Sense as a Clippers Target

The aftershock of the league's severe punishment on the LA Clippers will be felt for a very long time. The organization was seemingly caught off guard by the hammer the NBA brought down on them. But they can't waste any more time before getting on the right path to bounce back.

The Clippers' future is obviously bleaker now than it was earlier in the offseason. Rebuilding while forfeiting five first-round picks in a five-year stretch will be tough. It will force the Clippers into some creative roster-building strategies. It also erases any margin of error in free agency and the trade market.

The best way for the Clippers to add to their roster going forward will be through free agency. That is why a player like Jalen Duren, who remains a restricted free agent right now, could be an ideal fit for LA.

Clippers Could Benefit From the Jalen Duren-Pistons Stalemate

Duren and the Pistons are in the midst of an extended stalemate. There is reportedly a gap between the two sides as the All-Star center is asking for a five-year, $200 million deal to return to Detroit. With two weeks left before training camp, an agreement isn't any closer than it was earlier in the offseason.

The Clippers obviously don't have the cap space to sign Duren to an offer sheet. But they have two different paths through which they can acquire the 22-year-old big man.

One is a sign-and-trade. The Clippers can give a four-year, $177 million max deal to Duren and try to convince the Pistons to engage in a sign-and-trade. They would have to match salaries in a deal, and include draft capital. For a team that is already very low on draft picks, this could be a tough pill to swallow, but these are the types of big swings the Clippers need to make.

The Clippers can use the draft picks they get from the Raptors in the Kawhi Leonard trade. They can also reroute Brandon Ingram as the matching salary in the deal.

Alternatively, the Clippers can sign Duren in unrestricted free agency next summer. If the star center feels like he can get a max contract next offseason, either from LA or elsewhere, he can accept his qualifying offer and play on a one-year, $9.6 million deal in the 2026-27 campaign. Once he becomes an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027, the Clippers would be one of the top landing spots.

Regardless of which direction the Clippers go, they have to find a long-term starting center. They also have to bring in as much young talent through the door as possible. Even if it means overpaying for them, the Clippers need to add some upside to the roster. Duren represents that.

Whether it's through a sign-and-trade this fall or a max contract in free agency next summer, the Clippers should aggressively pursue Duren. Adding the youngest All-NBA selection from last season would certainly help ease the pain the Clippers leadership has caused the fanbase.

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