NBA teams are being increasingly careful with the contracts they give to non-All-Stars, and we saw it this offseason in restricted free agency, something you’d think would work in the favor of the Detroit Pistons when it comes to Jalen Duren’s extension.
None of the restricted free agents this offseason got the money they wanted, and only Josh Giddey (4 years/$100 million) got anywhere close. Both Cam Thomas and Quentin Grimes took qualifying offers and Jonathan Kuminga essentially had to settle for a two-year deal in which only the first year is guaranteed.
The new CBA has given teams pause that wouldn’t have been there in the past, when rookie extensions were practically a given.