Why the Nets Could be in the Market for a 22-Year-Old All-NBA Center This Offseason

The Brooklyn Nets could look to make meaningful upgrades to their roster this offseason.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was once seen as a potential Nets target, though any talks to go out and get him seem to have fizzled. Zion Williamson is also seen as a potential target.

However, if neither star makes their way to Brooklyn, the Nets could choose to pursue Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren in free agency.

Duren is set to hit restricted free agency. Though his making an All-NBA should guarantee him some serious cash on the market, his poor showing in the playoffs could result in him earning a few less dollars than he would've liked.

"A subpar playoff run, however, took some shine off Duren's breakthrough season and likely dented his potential earnings in the eyes of rival scouts and executives," ESPN's Tim Bontemps wrote. "Duren is still likely to command a new contract approaching $40 million per year, a sign of his improvement, his importance to the roster and his relationship with Pistons superstar guard Cade Cunningham.

"Though there's a chance, especially after the impasse between the two sides last summer and fall during his extension negotiations, that Duren could seek a suitor to give him a hefty offer sheet that the Pistons would all but certainly match."

Nic Claxton has done a solid job holding it down at center for the Nets over the years, though there are times he struggles to protect the rim and control the glass effectively enough against some of the bigger big men across the league.

The Pistons ended the regular season as one of the best rim protecting teams in the league, whereas the Nets finished near the bottom. Simply put, Duren would provide the Nets some immediate defensive relief in that area.

Offensively, Duren would benefit from having a ton of playmakers by his side to help him get easy looks at the rim, especially in lineup combinations featuring Egor Dëmin, Nolan Traoré and Danny Wolf.

Though Duren's postseason struggles are certainly concerning, he's still only 22 years old and has all the tools to be a considerable force on both sides of the floor in those instances.

Duren is likely to stick around in Detroit, but the Nets shouldn't pass up on the opportunity to add an All-NBA talent on both sides of the floor to the mix if it presents itself.

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