How The Kings Can Land Jalen Duren Amid NBA Trade Buzz
· Yahoo Sports
The Sacramento Kings‘ interest in Jalen Duren isn’t going away, even if the Pistons have basically shut the door on a sign-and-trade for now. On the latest episode of ESPN’s The Hoop Collective, Anthony Slater said GM Scott Perry has Duren’s name “with highlighter pen” as a possible target, while also noting that Sacramento could create max cap space next summer if Duren takes his $9.6 million qualifying offer and becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2027. The Kings already met with Duren earlier in free agency, so this isn’t just random trade-machine talk.
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The problem is Detroit. The Kings would like to sign-and-trade for Duren with Domantas Sabonis going the other way, per Tim MacMahon, but “that’s not happening,” because the Pistons have made it clear they aren’t interested in moving their 22-year-old All-NBA center. Detroit reportedly wants Duren closer to $35.0 million per season, while his camp is looking for more than $40.0 million, and the Pistons still “absolutely, positively, 100%” intend to keep him despite that gap in “nasty” negotiations.
So if the Kings really want Duren now instead of waiting another year, Sabonis alone clearly isn’t getting it done. They would need to make the return much bigger, probably bring in more teams to solve the salary issues, and give Detroit enough immediate talent and draft capital to at least reconsider its current position. This four-team framework with the Bucks and Raptors does exactly that, while landing Sacramento the young center they clearly want to build around.
The Four-Team Trade Proposal
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Jakob Poeltl, Duncan Robinson, Ron Holland, 2027 second-round pick via Pistons, 2029 first-round pick via Raptors
Sacramento Kings Receive: Jalen Duren
Toronto Raptors Receive: Domantas Sabonis, AJ Green, Daniss Jenkins
Detroit Pistons Receive: Immanuel Quickley, Myles Turner, Maxime Raynaud, 2028 first-round pick via Kings, 2030 first-round pick via Raptors
For this structure, Jalen Duren would join the Kings through a sign-and-trade on a four-year deal worth up to $180.0 million, starting at $40.9 million in Year 1. That is a huge contract, obviously, but for a 22-year-old All-NBA center entering his prime years, it is much easier to understand than continuing to pay big money to a roster that just went 22-60.
The Kings would send out $47.6 million between Domantas Sabonis at $45.5 million and Maxime Raynaud at $2.2 million, while taking back Duren at $40.9 million, so Sacramento would actually cut roughly $6.7 million from its 2026-27 payroll in the trade. Milwaukee would send out $36.6 million between Myles Turner at $26.6 million and AJ Green at $10.0 million, while receiving about $44.6 million with Jakob Poeltl at $19.5 million, Duncan Robinson at $16.0 million, and Ron Holland at $9.1 million.
Toronto would move $52.0 million in salary, with Immanuel Quickley at $32.5 million and Poeltl at $19.5 million, then take back roughly $59.5 million between Sabonis, Green, and Daniss Jenkins at $4.0 million. Detroit would receive about $61.2 million with Quickley, Turner, and Raynaud, while the actual contracts leaving its books would total roughly $70.0 million once Duren’s new $40.9 million salary is added to Robinson, Holland, and Jenkins.
Why The Kings Should Go All-In On Duren
The Kings just went 22-60, finished 14th in the West, ranked 26th in offensive rating, 28th in defensive rating, and 28th in net rating, so doing small moves around the edges doesn’t really solve anything. Domantas Sabonis is still a very good player, even if his 15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists on 54.3% from the field were a step back, as he is already 30, played only 19 games last season, and will make $45.5 million this year and $48.6 million in 2027-28.
That is why Duren makes much more sense for where this roster is going now. Darius Acuff Jr., Keegan Murray, Nique Clifford, and the rest of the younger group still need time, while Duren is only 22 and could be locked in for four more years. Sacramento would lose some of Sabonis’ passing and half-court offense, but it would get much younger, much more athletic, and much better around the rim.
Duren is already one of the strongest finishers in the league. He runs the floor, kills teams on the offensive glass, and gives Acuff a huge target in pick-and-roll, while still being young enough to improve a lot defensively after averaging only 0.8 blocks per game.
The price is heavy because the Kings would also lose Maxime Raynaud and a 2028 first-round pick, and Raynaud already averaged 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds on 57.1% from the field as a rookie. Still, after 22 wins, I would take the risk, because getting a 22-year-old All-NBA center is exactly the type of move that can actually change the direction of the roster.
Detroit Would Need A Massive Return To Say Yes
The Pistons don’t have any real reason to trade Duren right now. They just went 60-22, finished first in the East, had the second-best defense in the NBA, and Duren fits perfectly next to Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson, so the only reason this is even a conversation is the “ugly negotiations” between the two sides.
Detroit has reportedly been around $35.0 million per year, while Duren wants more than $40.0 million, and that is where this package has to become much bigger than just Sabonis. Immanuel Quickley, Myles Turner, Maxime Raynaud, and two first-round picks is the type of return that makes them listen.
Quickley averaged 16.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.9 assists while shooting 37.4% from three, and his flat $32.5 million salary through 2028-29 gives the Pistons that secondary guard they need next to Cunningham. Turner averaged 11.9 points and 5.3 rebounds while hitting 38.3% from three, so he would give them more spacing at center while still protecting the rim.
Detroit would also lose Ron Holland and Duncan Robinson, which hurts, because Holland is still only 20 and Robinson averaged 12.2 points while shooting 41.0% from three, but that is the type of sacrifice needed if they are actually giving up Duren.
The Raptors Get The Best Player For Their Timeline
The Raptors went 46-36 and finished fifth in the East, so this would be a pretty clear win-now move next to the pending Kawhi Leonard trade. Their defense was already fifth in the league, but their offense ranked only 15th, and Sabonis would add another scorer who could also create for the rest at the elbows and above the break.
Jakob Poeltl averaged 10.7 points and 7.0 rebounds on 70.0% from the field, while Quickley gave them 16.4 points and 5.9 assists, but neither gives them Sabonis’ passing or rebounding. Even in a rough year, Sabonis still averaged 4.1 assists, and he would give Scottie Barnes and Kawhi another option for easy shots.
AJ Green also matters a lot because he shot 41.9% from three on 7.1 attempts per game, which is exactly the type of shooting needed around Sabonis and Barnes. Daniss Jenkins really broke out last season, averaging 9.3 points and 3.9 assists while hitting 37.4% from three, so he’s another good sneaky addition.
The spacing still wouldn’t be perfect because Sabonis shot only 18.5% from three last season, but the Raptors would be betting that the jump in passing, rebounding, and half-court offense is worth giving up Quickley, Poeltl, and two first-round picks after the massive Kawhi move.
The Bucks Get Younger, Deeper, And Add A First-Round Pick
Keeping Myles Turner and AJ Green just because they are good players doesn’t really make sense anymore for the Bucks, who went 32-50 and started a rebuild after trading Giannis. This deal would turn those two into Jakob Poeltl, Duncan Robinson, Ron Holland, a 2029 first-round pick, and a second-round pick.
Poeltl can become a mentor for Kel’el Ware while giving the Bucks more rebounding and finishing inside, Robinson replaces a lot of Green’s shooting after hitting 41.0% from three, and Holland gives them a 20-year-old wing with real upside. For a team that has started to lean on younger players, Holland is probably the most interesting part of the player return.
The 2029 Raptors first-round pick is the biggest piece long term, because the Bucks have spent years giving away draft capital to stay competitive. For a 32-win team, getting three rotation players and another first-round pick is the way to go as they start again.
Could This Actually Happen?
Right now, probably not, because every report says the Pistons still want Duren and have no interest in a sign-and-trade. They just won 60 games, he is only 22, and there is no reason to panic unless the contract talks get much worse.
That is the key for the Kings. If Duren stays firm on wanting more than $40.0 million per season and makes the $9.6 million qualifying offer a real option, Detroit’s position changes fast, because then the possibility of losing him for nothing in 2027 becomes much more serious.
Sacramento has already been linked to Duren, the Kings have already explored the idea of a sign-and-trade, and Sabonis has already been mentioned as the natural starting point. This four-team version simply gives Detroit a much better return than a straight Sabonis swap.