Following up on a Shams Charania report indicating that the Pistons have included weight-related incentives in some of their offers to restricted free agent Jalen Duren this offseason, Hunter Patterson and Sam Amick of The Athletic confirm as much. While Patterson and Amick previously reported that Detroit’s latest five-year, $200MM offer to Duren is fully guaranteed, they now suggest it includes a weight clause.
The weight requirements haven’t been formally submitted yet, but the idea would be for Duren to get his weight checked monthly over the course of the year, according to Patterson and Amick, who hint that the center and his representatives may have bristled at that request from the team. League sources tell The Athletic that the organization wanted Duren to cut some weight after the Pistons’ second-round loss to Cleveland and feel that it might have factored into his postseason struggles. That “came as a surprise” to the 22-year-old and his camp, Patterson and Amick add.
As Patterson and Amick point out, current Pistons head of basketball operations Trajan Langdon was in the Pelicans’ front office when they negotiated a maximum-salary contract with Zion Williamson that included a weight clause. The language in that deal called for Williamson’s future salaries to become partially non-guaranteed if he didn’t meet certain marks related to his weight and body fat percentage.
The issue seems to be one of the sources of tension between the Pistons and Duren, and Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press wonders whether the relationship between the two sides is actually strained beyond repair or whether fences can still be mended if and when they reach an agreement on a deal.
Here’s more from around the Central:
Previewing the Bulls’ forwards and centers for the 2026/27 season, Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times says the combination of Nic Claxton, Caleb Wilson, and Matas Buzelis could be the “most exciting” frontcourt in Chicago since players like Joakim Noah and Luol Deng were on the roster. Cowley also wonders if former No. 4 overall pick Patrick Williams will even crack the rotation, with reserves like Isaac Okoro, Jalen Smith, Zach Collins, and Leonard Miller all vying for regular minutes.
In a subscriber-only story for The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jim Owczarski profiles new Bucks head coach Taylor Jenkins, who will be looking to reset the team’s culture in the wake of the departure of longtime franchise player Giannis Antetokounmpo. Rival coaches and scouts who spoke to Owczarski are bullish on the impact Jenkins can have in Milwaukee. “They’re gonna be better than most people think,” an opposing coach said. “They could start 8-2 or 7-3. Taylor is a very good basketball coach. They’re gonna be a sneaky team.”
The Cavaliers (47.5 wins) and Bucks (26.5) are two of five teams that John Hollinger of The Athletic expects to exceed the win totals projected by oddsmakers in 2026/27. Hollinger points out that the Cavs haven’t won fewer than 48 games since 2021/22 and expresses confidence that the Bucks have a solid floor due to their improved depth.