Pistons’ gamble on Jalen Duren is identical to Rockets’ Amen Thompson bet

After a long offseason of negotiations, the Pistons finally secured a deal with Jalen Duren to the tune of 5 years and $200 million. When considering the league’s relative cap space, it’s nearly an identical deal to Amen Thompson’s 5-year/$208 million extension that kicks in next year.

Both Detroit and Houston are relying on their respective non-shooters to thrive and prove themselves even without great spacing. Duren has already made an All-Star team and the Rockets will now need Thompson to reach the same level following a rough playoff loss. 

Amen and Duren are in a very similar position

Arguably, Thompson and Duren have shown the same production so far in terms of overall impact. Duren was better on offense last season, averaging 19.5 points per game, but his disappointing playoff run left many questions. Thompson has definitely played better defense in his career so far.

Both guys are being rated very highly going into the season, probably around the 30-40th best players in the league. But staying at that level won’t be enough to justify their teams’ huge 5-year commitments. 

The Rockets seem to have more faith in their young star to continue his upwards trajectory, since Thompson signed his deal much earlier in the offseason and without the same fanfare. On the other hand, Duren’s agent had to fight fiercely to get his client the full $200m and held out until the last minute. 

Houston has good reason to believe in Thompson too: he’s made First Team All-Defense already, then showed huge offensive growth without a point guard. As veteran floor general Fred VanVleet returns to the team’s rotation, Thompson’s offensive role should only get easier. He can focus more fully on hunting his own shot and expanding his scoring arsenal, which can even get him some All-Star consideration.

Neither Thompson nor Duren is a sure bet

But Thompson’s lack of any noteworthy shooting does pose a huge risk in today’s NBA. Duren also has the same flaw, although it’s less pronounced at the center position. 

For both young stars, their lack of shooting makes it harder for them to support top-tier superstars. Their pairing with other non-shooters (Alperen Sengun in Amen’s case and Ausar Thompson in Duren’s case) exacerbates the situation further. 

At a time when other teams seem to be prioritizing shooting and offensive versatility, the Rockets and Pistons are defying the trend. Now that they’ve both handed out huge extensions, the long-term success of these teams will be dependent on their young stars progressing and living up to their contracts.

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