Duren agrees to five-year, $200 million Pistons deal, agent says

Jalen Duren has agreed to a five-year, $200 million fully guaranteed contract to remain with the Detroit Pistons, his agent Chafie Fields told ESPN's Shams Charania on Thursday night. The agreement ends the center's extended contract standoff as Detroit works through the opening week of training camp.

Duren accepted the long-term offer before Thursday's 11:59 p.m. Eastern deadline to take a one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer. ESPN reported the agreement through Fields; a formal Pistons signing announcement was not part of that report.

Charania reported that Duren accepted Detroit's standing proposal before the qualifying-offer deadline.

Detroit gets its center back into the plan

The dispute had kept Duren away from media day and the team's first practices. He was a restricted free agent and remained unsigned when camp opened Tuesday.

Detroit Free Press beat writer Omari Sankofa II reported earlier Thursday that the Pistons were preparing to welcome him back once a deal was completed. That report described the practical effect of the delay: the team had begun installing its work for the new season without its All-NBA center.

The agreement gives Detroit five years of contractual certainty with Duren instead of a one-season arrangement that could have carried him into unrestricted free agency next summer. The reported $200 million total is fully guaranteed.

A long negotiation reaches an agreement

ESPN said the talks lasted four months and continued through the start of camp. Duren had rejected earlier offers before eventually accepting Detroit's standing proposal.

Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds while shooting 65% in 70 regular-season games, according to ESPN. Detroit finished as the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed. His playoff production fell to 10.5 points and 8.5 rebounds on 51% shooting across 14 games before Cleveland eliminated the Pistons in Game 7 of the conference semifinals.

The next step is the team's formal completion of the agreement and Duren's return to basketball activities. Thursday's report establishes an agreement; it does not set a verified first-practice date.