Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

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Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren, one of the top restricted free agents this summer, has a pair of meetings with outside teams scheduled for when free agency officially begins Tuesday. One of the teams is the Los Angeles Lakers, a source familiar with the situation told ESPN. L.A.'s front office has been given feedback from franchise star Luka Doncic about his desire to pair with an "A-list center," a league source told ESPN, and Duren would certainly fit the bill. The other team Duren plans to meet with, a league source told Andscape's Marc J. Spears, is the Sacramento Kings. (The Lakers’ incumbent starting center, DeAndre Ayton, picked up his $8.1 million player option Monday.) Yet in stark contrast to the Kings’ scenario, the Lakers’ best offerings might be draft capital rather than quality players, as Detroit could trade Duren into the Lakers’ salary-cap space. Lakers star Luka Dončić is known to be a fan of Duren’s game, league sources say, which is a monumental factor for any player who’s trying to be welcomed into Crypto.com Arena these days.

ESPN