For years, we’ve been hearing buzz on and off about the Celtics trading for Domantas Sabonis, and then recently, we heard some whispers about a potential Celtics trade sending Jaylen Brown to the Pistons in exchange for Jalen Duren. But both of these moves seem very unlikely now, as Chris Haynes reported that the Kings are expected to meet with Duren about a sign-and-trade, with Sam Amick adding that Sabonis would likely head to Detroit in the deal.
This has come about quickly as Duren had an All-NBA season before flaming out in the playoffs. Now, the Pistons appear to be balking at giving him the money he wants as a restricted free agent, which has led to a “sizable difference apart in negotiations,” according to Haynes.
It’s a fascinating and abrupt ending to what looked like the start of a promising career as a building block in Detroit alongside Cade Cunningham. But they obviously were scared off by the playoff showing and got queasy about giving max (or close to max) money to the young center. This move saves them the trouble and brings in another former All-Star in Sabonis.
Kings might actually be interesting
This is certainly a solid gamble for the hapless Kings. Their roster made no sense, and their future looked bleak, but now they get to start a rebuild around Darius Acuff and Duren. The Pistons don’t have to pay Duren and can get a short-term solution with Sabonis, who can at least put up numbers in the regular season and will be an expiring contract next season if they want to make another move.
Beyond the effect on each team, it’s great news for the Celtics, whose interest in these big men always made me uneasy. Duren is clearly after a massive payday, but giving a max deal to a big man who’s not an elite defender and whose offense disappeared in the playoffs is extremely concerning.
Trading Jaylen Brown for Duren or Sabonis would be a huge mistake
And as for Sabonis, he has a long, well-documented history of being a poor defender, not stretching the floor, and taking up a lot of the salary cap. These are two players who put up big numbers but haven’t proven to contribute to winning in a way that matches up with the contracts they command.
I’d like to think Stevens and the Celtics would know better than to go down either of these paths, but things seem to be getting desperate with Jaylen Brown, and the team could use a center. This would have been a massive mistake, and now, hopefully, they won’t even have the opportunity to make it.
This deal is obviously far from done. The Pistons still have to play ball, and other teams can get involved (we’ve already heard about a meeting with the Lakers). But it sounds like Duren wants to be a King and Sabonis wants to be a Piston. The toothpaste may be out of the tube for both sides, and the best and easiest course of action may be to rip off the band-aid, something that should absolutely be welcomed in Boston.
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