Jalen Duren secures five-year Pistons deal as Oubre, Smith settle in

Jalen Duren has locked in his future with the Detroit Pistons, officially signing a five-year, $200 million contract that became public when the team issued a press release on Saturday. The agreement was finalized on Friday but only confirmed by the club a day later. President of basketball operations Trajan Langdon emphasized Duren’s importance to Detroit’s long-term plans, saying the organization is “excited to have Jalen in Detroit as a core piece” for years to come. The deal cements Duren as the franchise’s main building block in the middle.

Duren rewarded after breakout All-Star season in Detroit

Duren is coming off a standout campaign in which he helped the Pistons post an Eastern Conference-best 60 wins. He averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists across 70 games, shooting 65.0% from the field and 74.7% at the free-throw line in 28.2 minutes per contest. That production earned him his first All-Star nod and a spot on the All-NBA Third Team. Detroit’s decision to invest heavily in Duren reflects both his current impact and the belief that his game still has room to grow.

With Duren under contract long term, the Pistons can shape their roster and cap sheet around a proven interior presence. Securing a high-efficiency big man who already anchors winning basketball gives the front office a clearer roadmap as it looks to sustain last season’s breakthrough.

Oubre embraces Pacers’ pace as frontcourt rotation shifts

In Indiana, Kelly Oubre Jr. is in the early stages of his tenure with the Pacers after signing a two-year, $16 million deal in free agency. The veteran forward said he is picking up the team’s fast-paced offensive approach quickly during the first days of training camp, describing the half-second decision-making and unselfish style as a good fit for his game. Oubre also noted that Indiana’s more relaxed lifestyle appealed to him as his family grows, adding another layer to his choice in free agency.

The Pacers’ centre rotation has been overhauled compared to a year ago, when Myles Turner’s departure in free agency opened the door for a crowded competition involving Jay Huff, Isaiah Jackson, James Wiseman and Tony Bradley. This fall, Ivica Zubac has been installed as the clear starter, with Huff and Larry Nance Jr. providing contrasting looks off the bench. Head coach Rick Carlisle pointed out that both Huff and Nance have experience playing power forward, giving Indiana the option to deploy bigger lineups when matchups call for additional size and versatility.

Jalen Smith enters Bulls camp fully recovered

In Chicago, Jalen Smith says he is fully healthy after a calf injury cut short his 2025-26 season. The Bulls big man acknowledged that an increase in minutes last year put extra strain on his body and that he had not fully prepared himself for that workload. Despite the early end to his season, Smith averaged 10.2 points and 6.7 rebounds in a career-high 20.7 minutes over 53 appearances.

Smith said his offseason focus was on preparing his body to better handle a similar or larger role if it comes again. For the Bulls, having a healthy frontcourt contributor back in the mix bolsters their depth and could prove important in the battle for position in the Eastern Conference. How Smith holds up under another potential uptick in responsibility will be a storyline to monitor as the season unfolds.