Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren will be 2026 free agents after rookie extension deadline passes
Neither Jaden Ivey nor Jalen Duren signed rookie scale contract extensions ahead of Monday’s 6 p.m. deadline, a person with knowledge of the Detroit Pistons’ front office moves told the Free Press. The person was granted anonymity because the team has not commented publicly.
The lack of a deal sets up Ivey and Duren, the Pistons’ 2022 NBA draft lottery picks, to enter restricted free agency in 2026, should the Pistone tender each a one-year qualifying offer at a pre-determined salary. (If the Pistons don’t do this, the player will be unrestricted). After making the qualifying offer, the Pistons would be able to match any offer from opposing teams.
Talks between the two players’ camps and the Pistons reportedly were stagnant in the days leading up to the deadline, and Ivey (No. 5 overall pick) and Duren (No. 13 overall pick) now will look to capitalize on next summer’s market, when the Pistons will be one of nine teams with cap space.
Ivey, 23, shined when healthy in 2024-25, averaging 17.6 points per game on 46% overall shooting and 40.9% shooting from 3. But he only played 30 games due to a broken left fibula, and coupled with arthroscopic right knee surgery Thursday — delaying his return for another month at least — it makes sense to punt the extension conversation down the road.
Duren improved as the season went on averaging 11.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 blocks in 78 regular-season games. His defense initially was a weakness, but by the time the playoffs arrived, he was far more engaged and decisive at the rim. At 21 years old, his best basketball is well in front of him.
It’s a reason for the Pistons to lock him in, but also a reason for Duren to bet on himself and potentially join a rare group of centers making more than $30 million annually next summer. That’s the figure Duren’s representatives are pushing for, according to The Stein Line.
Second-year Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon has said the two players are valued within the organization, but declined to shed light on the status of the extension talks during the team’s media day Sept. 29.
“We’re excited they’re both members of the Pistons,” Langdon said. “They’re gonna have huge roles this year and both of them, the way they play will impact our success or not.”
Both Ivey and Duren were drafted by the previous regime under former general manager Troy Weaver.
The Pistons open the 2025-26 regular season Wednesday night at the Chicago Bulls (8 p.m.). They play at the Houston Rockets on Friday (8 p.m.), then host the Boston Celtics on Sunday at Little Caesars Arena (3:30 p.m.).
NBA players who signed rookie extensions before 2025 deadline
Nine first-round players from the 2022 rookie class signed rookie contract extensions, including the first four picks before Ivey.
- Paolo Banchero, Magic (No. 1 pick): 5 years, $239 million
- Chet Holmgren, Thunder (No. 2 pick): 5 years, $240 million
- Jabari Smith Jr., Rockets (No. 3 pick): 5 years, $122 million
- Keegan Murray, Kings (No. 4 pick): 5 years, $140 million
- Shaedon Sharpe, Trail Blazers (No. 7 pick): 4 years, $90 million
- Dyson Daniels, Hawks (No. 8 pick by Pelicans): 4 years, $100 million
- Jalen Williams, Thunder (No. 12 pick): 5 years, $287 million
- Christian Braun, Nuggets, (No. 21 pick): 5 years, $125 million
- Nikola Jović, Heat (No. 27 pick): 4 years, $62.4 million
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