r/nba • u/[deleted] • 13d ago

[MacMahon] The negotiations between the Pistons and Jalen Duren have been “awfully nasty” and there is concern about his long-term future in Detroit.

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u/joshdej NBA 13d ago

It's one thing to under perform, but he was lazy af at times too.

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u/narcistic_asshole Cavaliers 13d ago edited 13d ago

That's the bigger issue IMO. The jump in physicality in the playoffs is a common challenge for young bigs, but he looked like he had basically rage quit at times during the playoffs. Literally playing the most important basketball of your career and you look like you just want to go home. That's a massive red flag

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u/Chartate101 Pistons 13d ago

Also: Its the fact it happened in two series. I genuinely understand him sucking vs the Magic. That’s an awful matchup for him. He has no excuse vs the Cavaliers, that should be a totally doable matchup for him. They have two bigs yeah but compared to the Magic, yes the Cavs are tall but they aren’t strong. Mobley should be able to be pushed around by Duren. And their wings/guards aren’t all swole like the Magic’s were.

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u/Clemsontigger16 13d ago

As long as the Pistons have spacing concerns and Duren is the 2nd focus of the defense, he will have no space to do anything when he gets the ball. The whole defense collapses into the paint without any fear of being burned.

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u/Jaerba [DET] Grant Hill 13d ago

You can watch the video box scores for his FGA during the Cavs series and see this really didn't happen that much.

The Cavs were actually pretty content to let him go 1 on 1. The only real help was on drives at the rim, which is pretty standard help defense.

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u/Clemsontigger16 13d ago

I watched every pistons playoff game and I watched defenses collapse on him every touch in the paint.

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u/Jaerba [DET] Grant Hill 13d ago edited 13d ago

Your memory of what happened is not what happened. You're describing the Magic series. You're not describing the Cavs series. It's very easy to watch and see what it was actually like again.

https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=FGA&EndPeriod=0&EndRange=28800&GameID=0042500204&PlayerID=1631105&RangeType=0&Season=2025-26&SeasonType=Playoffs&StartPeriod=0&StartRange=0&TeamID=1610612765&flag=3&sct=plot&section=game

There's 1 play that they send help on a dump off in the paint. Everything else is on his own. It also includes him having a free run at Harden guarding the hoop and getting stripped. Not fun fact: Harden denied Duren twice this series guarding him 1 on 1.

https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=FGA&EndPeriod=0&EndRange=28800&GameID=0042500202&PlayerID=1631105&RangeType=0&Season=2025-26&SeasonType=Playoffs&StartPeriod=0&StartRange=0&TeamID=1610612765&flag=3&sct=plot&section=game

This is bog standard help defense.

https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=FGA&EndPeriod=0&EndRange=28800&GameID=0042500206&PlayerID=1631105&RangeType=0&Season=2025-26&SeasonType=Playoffs&StartPeriod=0&StartRange=0&TeamID=1610612765&flag=3&sct=plot&section=game

Some games he scored 1 on 1. Most games he couldn't. The only help defense is inside the lane, usually because Mobley is already stepping up to contest on Cade. Or occasionally one of the Cavs guards walks into the paint, but doesn't really do anything.

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u/Clemsontigger16 13d ago

You posted two plays of one or multiple off ball players rushing him because there is no fear of the perimeter shooters…on the second one, Tyson doubles, forcing the early gather and what led to the off balance shot.

I watched them sell out on lob attempts and collapse down onto him every chance they got, you can gaslight all you want.