Report: Draft Compensation Dispute Stalls Pistons-Kings Duren-Sabonis Talks
The short version
- Jalen Duren and the Pistons remain at odds, with Duren expected to accept the $9.6 million qualifying offer.
- Detroit reportedly raised its contract offer to $200 million but a deal has not been reached.
- Executives reportedly view Domantas Sabonis as having negative trade value due to his contract and MCL surgery recovery.
- The Pistons would want draft picks in a Duren-for-Sabonis swap, which Kings GM Scott Perry reportedly refuses to include.
NBA executives reportedly view Domantas Sabonis as having negative trade value, and the Kings are unwilling to add draft picks to a deal sending him to Detroit for Jalen Duren.
The Detroit Pistons and Sacramento Kings have been linked in a potential trade that would send center Jalen Duren to Sacramento in exchange for Domantas Sabonis, but a compensation dispute appears to be holding up a deal as training camps approach.
Duren, 23, has been in a contract standoff with Detroit all summer after entering restricted free agency seeking a max deal. The Pistons have reportedly raised their offer to $200 million and blocked sign-and-trade discussions, but the two sides remain apart. Duren is now expected to play on the $9.6 million qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
That timeline has increased pressure on Detroit to trade him rather than lose him for nothing. According to Heavy's Sean Deveney, a trade becomes more plausible the closer the calendar gets to October.
The holdup, per Jake Fischer, is how executives around the league value Sabonis. League insiders reportedly do not believe the two-time All-Star carries positive trade value, given the two years and $93 million remaining on his contract and his recovery from MCL surgery. That means the Pistons would want draft assets included alongside Sabonis to part with the much younger Duren.
Fischer reports that Kings general manager Scott Perry has been unwilling to attach draft picks to move off assets and that stance is unlikely to change, leaving the deal in limbo.
