Why the Brooklyn Nets Should Look into Suddenly Available All-NBA Center

The Brooklyn Nets are reportedly interested in making at least one big move this offseason.

The team recently brought in Julius Randle in a three-team deal featuring the Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls, though it relinquished longtime starting center Nic Claxton to the Bulls.

Though Day'Ron Sharpe could take over as the Nets' starting center, there is another move the franchise could make if they prefer to keep Sharpe in his customary role off the bench, as restricted free agent Jalen Duren is seemingly having a hard time coming to an agreement on a new contract with the Detroit Pistons.

BREAKING: Due to sizable distance apart in negotiations, Detroit Pistons restricted free agent center Jalen Duren will meet with the Sacramento Kings at the start of free agency with the intentions of structuring a sign-&-trade out of Detroit. pic.twitter.com/rzUZWy2iJF
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 29, 2026

Duren had a postseason to forget, but it's also easy to forget that he's still just 22 years old and had a regular season good enough to place him on the All-NBA Third Team.

Duren would also mesh nicely with the Nets' young guards, featuring Mikel Brown Jr., Egor Dëmin and Nolan Traoré, especially on the pick-and-roll.

Duren would also help the Nets protect the rim at a high level, an area the team struggled to contain this past season with an undersized Claxton left to anchor the defense down low.

Locking Duren down now would give the Nets a ton of flexibility over the next decade. They'll literally have a 22-year-old All-NBA center whose game should only continue to grow as he gets acclimated to the league.

Duren might not shoot the 3-pointer or be a reliable go-to scorer at the end of games, but he can finish at the rim at a high level and force defenses to collapse inside, which more often than not opens up easy 3-point shooting opportunities for his teammates.

The Nets would probably be focusing more on Duren's long-term defensive potential than anything else, which would be important in an NBA Finals series with the San Antonio Spurs years down the road, should the Nets finally find themselves in a position to play in those games.

Duren seems to be seeking around $40 million a year, which would be a hefty commitment to make.

While Duren has some limitations to take into consideration, he'll have plenty of opportunities to develop his all around game and grow alongside a young group as they look towards contending for the playoffs in the near future.

Though he fits the Nets' timeline and could be a good fit with the team, it seems unlikely that Duren ends up in Brooklyn,

Add us as a preferred source on Google