Jalen Duren speaks: 'I want to be a Detroit Piston for life'
Detroit Free Press • • sports
Key Points:
- Jalen Duren held his first press conference since signing a five-year, $200 million extension with the Detroit Pistons, expressing relief, excitement, and gratitude for staying with the only franchise he has played for.
- Duren denied reports suggesting he wanted to play elsewhere, emphasizing his commitment to Detroit and criticizing media speculation that portrayed him as unhappy or disloyal.
- Reflecting on his playoff struggles, Duren described the experience as humbling and committed to improving his game through focused offseason workouts on shooting, conditioning, and defense.
- The contract negotiation lasted until just before the deadline, causing Duren to miss media day and early training camp, but both he and the Pistons acknowledged the process was necessary to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.
- Duren expressed enthusiasm about the team's future, praising new teammates and coaches, and is eager to move past the contract saga to focus on the upcoming season.
