Pistons Shouldn’t Rush To Extend These 2 Players This Offseason

With the offseason in full swing, the Detroit Pistons have a lot to think about, especially when it comes to two key pieces to their team.

May 17, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0), forward Tobias Harris (12), guard Ausar Thompson (9), guard Cade Cunningham (2) and guard Daniss Jenkins (24) huddle up in the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers during game seven of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Facing a tightening player salary cap, the Detroit Pistons need to be smart with their business in the offseason, but they do have priorities in mind to avoid going into the projected cap space.

It requires letting go of rotation players but not rushing the contract talks of two key players that the Pistons have said they want to build the team around alongside Cade Cunningham.

Not rushing a new deal for Jalen Duren

Jalen Duren had a stellar regular season for the Pistons, followed by a lacklustre playoff run in which he regularly failed to score in double digits and was exposed on defense several times.

He went from averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in the regular season to a sad 10.7 points and 9.2 boards in 20 games in the postseason.

Despite the poor end to the campaign, Duren became eligible for a massive rookie max extension following his selection to the All-NBA Third Team.

However, the Pistons front office will need to think carefully and avoid a hasty decision just yet. Handing Duren a contract that could be worth $50 million or more could prove a tough call, especially given his playoff performance last season. There is also talk of an eye-watering five-year deal worth $200 million.

Of course, due to his age and regular-season performances, the worst-case scenario is losing Duren, so for the front office, negotiating a different offer or going for a sign-and-trade could give Detroit, and Duren long-term stability, as both parties want to do business for next season.

Let Ausar Thompson play and don’t jump into anything

Ausar Thompson was one of the Pistons’ defensive lynchpins last season and finished in the top three in Defensive Player of the Year voting along with being selected to the All-Defensive First Team.

Thompson is also eligible for a contract extension worth up to $43 million; however, he is still under contract with Detroit for the next two seasons.

If the Pistons jump quickly and offer Thompson a massive contract, it will seriously limit the team’s financial flexibility and hurt their chances of continuing to compete for a title, which would frustrate Cunningham.

Unlike Duren, it might be worth Detroit playing the long game with Thompson and let him play next season to see how far he can go and what he can contribute to the Pistons, not just defensively but also on the offensive side.

For Thompson, there are areas of his game that need tuning, such as his jump shot and his ability to hit it under pressure. It’s best to let Thompson progress and see what happens from there.