Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[omahen]

This isn't the first time a team overpays to keep a key player and won't be the last. He went through this charade for months when he could have agreed to this deal from the start. Just a bunch of wasted time if you ask me. Being all in his feelings, talking about disrespect. I'm just waiting to see how this affects the locker room dynamic, and whether his game improves incrementally to justify it.

Based on all the reports, this deal was not on the table from the start. First Detroit offer was in the range of 20+ per, dating back to 2025. After that there were rumblings from this summer of 180 mil offers and weight clauses. Duren (or his representation) managed to get 20 mil more, weight clause was gone. At the end of the day, he is the winner of this negotiations. 

As for overpaying. Free agency (even restricted) is always a choice between keeping or losing for nothing. Detroit had a chance to force him to take the QO, but then he would be gone for sure in the summer and Detroit would get nothing but a huge hole at center. Whether he was bluffing or not, whether this would be a good decision for him or not, it is obvious that Detroit believed he will go through it. So from their perspective, is it better to get nothing or overpay? Neither option is good, but I think overpaying is less bad. Even if he doesn't improve, he is an above average center.