Detroit Pistons Offseason: 2026

[Deleterious]

Wouldn't that be something?  Hey Jalen, here's a bucket full of money.  Now go learn the worst shot on the floor.

League avg FG% from the mid-range this season was 41.6%.  At that rate Duren would have to shoot >28% from three to get the same points per shot.  That assumes Duren could even get to league average.  He should be working on his three point shooting and totally ignore the mid-range.

Mid-range shots attempted this season.  Just over 22,000.  Three pointers attempted.  Just over 90,000.  

[Deleterious]

Average point per shot mid-range - 0.835

Average point per shot 3 point attempts - 1.078

 

[gehringer_2]

1 hour ago, Deleterious said:

Average point per shot mid-range - 0.835

Average point per shot 3 point attempts - 1.078

 

Of course a trey is the better percentage strategy, but if hitting treys is completely out of the realm of possibility for him,  then it becomes the perfect being the enemy of the good. If they are going to sign him and be stuck with him, then any increase in his offensive game adds options for him and requires a defense to respond. Obviously you hope the coaching staff has some idea whether him working on treys is pointless or not and pushes in a productive direction.

Edited Sunday at 01:32 AM by gehringer_2

[buddha]

2 hours ago, Deleterious said:

Average point per shot mid-range - 0.835

Average point per shot 3 point attempts - 1.078

 

you want cade to stop shooting mid range jumpers?

[Deleterious]

30 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

Of course a trey is the better percentage strategy, but if hitting treys is completely out of the realm of possibility for him,  then it becomes the perfect being the enemy of the good. If they are going to sign him and be stuck with him, then any increase in his offensive game adds options for him and requires a defense to respond. Obviously you hope the coaching staff has some idea whether him working on treys is pointless or not and pushes in a productive direction.

It isn't the enemy of the good.  It's the enemy of the bad, even terrible.  Not only will teams not care if he shoots it, they will encourage it.  Teams score over 1 point per possession, they would love if Duren is taking shots where he will shoot in the low 40's and score .8 per shot.  That is a huge w in for any defense.

 

[Deleterious]

5 minutes ago, buddha said:

you want cade to stop shooting mid range jumpers?

He shoots less than 3 a game so it's not a big deal.   But he is one of the best at it, shooting 49%.  

[gehringer_2]

11 minutes ago, Deleterious said:

It isn't the enemy of the good.  It's the enemy of the bad, even terrible.  Not only will teams not care if he shoots it, they will encourage it.  Teams score over 1 point per possession, they would love if Duren is taking shots where he will shoot in the low 40's and score .8 per shot.  That is a huge w in for any defense.

 

but this assumes a clean sheet of paper on every play. You're never going to plan an offense around it, but what any increase in shooting ability does for him is to be able to do something when the all the other doors are closed and it's an it about to be an .8pt chance vs zero. It's always better to have an additional skill than not. I'll grant you any day that it would be better if he could trail on a break. pull up and gun a three, but I can't help but doubt that will ever be the case after 4 full years in the league and 0 for 6 total on 3 pt attempts. But I'm all for a miracle if you think it can happen.

Edited Sunday at 02:19 AM by gehringer_2

[buddha]

11 minutes ago, Deleterious said:

He shoots less than 3 a game so it's not a big deal.   But he is one of the best at it, shooting 49%.  

its his signature shot.  

i dont think duren will ever be antonio mcdyess, but prohibiting him from learning a skill is silly.  having the possibility of making mid range jumpers might open things up for him depending on who is guarding him.

i just dont rate duren.  but i guarantee you they will be looking to diversify his offensive repertoire.

[Deleterious]

9 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

but this assumes a clean sheet of paper on every play. You're never going to plan an offense around it, but what any increase in shooting ability does for him is to be able to do something when the all the other doors are closed and it's an it about to be an .8pt chance vs zero. It's always better to have an additional skill than not. I'll grant you any day that it would be better if he could trail on a break. pull up and gun a three, but I can't help but doubt that will ever be the case after 4 full years in the league and 0 for 6 total on 3 pt attempts.

Well, in 4 years he's shooting 35% from the midrange.  Like I said, all day.  

[Deleterious]

12 minutes ago, buddha said:

its his signature shot.  

i dont think duren will ever be antonio mcdyess, but prohibiting him from learning a skill is silly.  having the possibility of making mid range jumpers might open things up for him depending on who is guarding him.

i just dont rate duren.  but i guarantee you they will be looking to diversify his offensive repertoire.

It isn't silly.  Developmental time is limited.  Using it on a terrible skill is a waste of time and pretty stupid.  

I'm all for him improving his offensive game.   But it has to be the three point shot.  Or here is a crazy idea for a big man.  Maybe learn a ****ing post move.  Where is his up and under?  Drop step?  Baby hook?

 

 

[buddha]

11 minutes ago, Deleterious said:

It isn't silly.  Developmental time is limited.  Using it on a terrible skill is a waste of time and pretty stupid.  

I'm all for him improving his offensive game.   But it has to be the three point shot.  Or here is a crazy idea for a big man.  Maybe learn a ****ing post move.  Where is his up and under?  Drop step?  Baby hook?

 

 

nothing precludes him from learning a variety of offensive moves.  it isnt a video game where you only get so many points to "level up."  if he has the ability to shoot a jumper, use it.  he can "learn" a drop step and a jumper at the same time.

[Deleterious]

The last 10 posts are why you don't pay Jalen Duren.

Can't score in the post.  Cant shoot the three.  So people want him to spend time on a bad idea of learning the mid-range.  

$25 million, take it or leave it.  

[gehringer_2]

Quote

The last 10 posts are why you don't pay Jalen Duren.

Can't score in the post.  Cant shoot the three.  So people want him to spend time on a bad idea of learning the mid-range.  

$25 million, take it or leave it.

  - so to circle back the original jumping off point of this digression, I'm not excited over the prospects of the Pistons' future having to depend on either Thompson or Duren turning into bigger offensive assets. Don't like the odds on either.

Edited Sunday at 03:19 AM by gehringer_2

[buddha]

4 minutes ago, Deleterious said:

The last 10 posts are why you don't pay Jalen Duren.

Can't score in the post.  Cant shoot the three.  So people want him to spend time on a bad idea of learning the mid-range.  

$25 million, take it or leave it.  

youre going to be so mad when he signs for $38-40m per year.

[Deleterious]

4 minutes ago, buddha said:

youre going to be so mad when he signs for $38-40m per year.

The chance to tell everyone how right I was for the next 5 years?  I'm going to need to see a physician in 4 hours.  

[Deleterious]

 

[Deleterious]

With Stewart's injury last year and his rumored injury this year, I would prefer he not play.

 

[Deleterious]

 

[Deleterious]

It isn't about what you get for Duren.  It's about Turner being bad at basketball.  

 

[Betrayer]

14 minutes ago, Deleterious said:

It isn't about what you get for Duren.  It's about Turner being bad at basketball.  

 

Three years of Turner at 28M or 5 years of Duren at 40M? I'm doing that trade just to save the franchise from the contract.

"Good" or not, Turner shot 38% from three last year and that means he has an actual NBA skill. He can split time with Reed/Stew when you need more mobility in there and you don't have to promise him 30+ mpg like Duren.

Getting the #10 pick in a good draft is just icing on the cake that could turn this into a much bigger win whether you keep it, package it with #21 to move up, or package it for a player trade.

[Deleterious]

4 minutes ago, Betrayer said:

Three years of Turner at 28M or 5 years of Duren at 40M? I'm doing that trade just to save the franchise from the contract.

"Good" or not, Turner shot 38% from three last year and that means he has an actual NBA skill. He can split time with Reed/Stew when you need more mobility in there and you don't have to promise him 30+ mpg like Duren.

Getting the #10 pick in a good draft is just icing on the cake that could turn this into a much bigger win whether you keep it, package it with #21 to move up, or package it for a player trade.

It is not an either-or situation, so that isn't a very good argument.

Duncan Robisnon has an NBA skill too, and you bitched and moaned about him all year.  Now you want to pay a Robinson clone twice the salary?  That doesn't seem like a good idea.  

 

[Betrayer]

5 hours ago, Deleterious said:

It is not an either-or situation, so that isn't a very good argument.

Duncan Robisnon has an NBA skill too, and you bitched and moaned about him all year.  Now you want to pay a Robinson clone twice the salary?  That doesn't seem like a good idea.  

 

If you're giving me other options, then yeah, I'd much rather S&T Duren for Trey Murphy.

[buddha]

7 hours ago, Betrayer said:

If you're giving me other options, then yeah, I'd much rather S&T Duren for Trey Murphy.

That's the point though, there may not be other options.  We all **** on duren but the rest of the league sees the same things.  you have to find a dumb gm, a desperate gm, or a gm willing to gamble on duren's age.

but again, at the end of the day were going to overpay for duren.  its the easiest thing to do that wont get any backlash even if it doesnt ultimately work out.  plus cade supposedly loves him and it will make cade happy.

it may hamstring the pistons for years, but it wont hurt trajan's job prospects.  if he trades him and it doesnt work out, then he'll get fired.

[buddha]

from the athletic:

"There’s a general sense around the league, as things stand today, that negotiations likely began far apart and will eventually come to a middle ground in the ballpark of a five-year, $200 million to $220 million deal — landing Duren an average annual value of $40 million to $44 million. "

[Deleterious]

I see Piston fans are on the Cam Johnson hype train again. 

Nobody ever mentions that in 7 seasons he has never played in more than 66 games. Or his last four years he had played 54, 57, 58, and 42 games.

Edited 6 hours ago by Deleterious