Jalen Duren to Break Out in Detroit Under JB Bickerstaff

The Detroit Pistons have not had a winning record in any of the last eight seasons, and that is not expected to change in 2024-25. Despite addingTobias Harris and Tim Hardaway Jr. this summer, the Pistons will likely be at the bottom of the Eastern Conference once again.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t have a bright future. They fired General Manager Troy Weaver and head coach Monty Williams and brought in Trajan Langdon and JB Bickerstaff with the hopes of starting fresh.

Luckily for Detroit, they already have a few key players in place. Cade Cunningham looks like a franchise player, although he has never been on a good team. Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland IIare both explosive athletes, and there is hope that Jaden Ivey can find his footing now that Killian Hayes is out of the rotation.

However, no one is poised to improve more than center Jalen Duren, who could take the league by storm as one of the most promising young big men in the league, joining the likes of Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Donovan Clingan, and Alexandre Sarr.

Duren Will Benefit From Bickerstaff

Former Cavs coach has a track record with big men

The Cleveland Cavaliers have a problem. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley are both such great rebounders, shot blockers, and interior scorers that Cleveland needs to pick which one to build with long-term. Mobley is much younger, so it is generally accepted that he will be the one to stay, but their former coach, now captaining the Pistons, can be thanked.

Both Mobley and Allen are high-end centers, and a lot of it has to do with Bickerstaff’s approach to developing big men. He has served as the head coach for the Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, and Cleveland Cavaliers, and has made the frontcourt better everywhere he goes.

Mobley has spent his entire career playing for Bickerstaff, although he has established himself as an All-Defensive caliber player. Duren, who is 6-10 and has 250 pounds of sheer muscle, should do well with Bickerstaff calling plays for him. Duran also boasts an impressive 7-5 wingspan, so rebounding and shot blocking should continue to come easy for him.

Duren has had lingering ankle issues throughout his short career, which might limit his explosiveness. However, he has size, which you can’t teach. Bickerstaff will likely have Duren improve his durability and focus on areas to improve, while encouraging him to play to his strengths.

Bickerstaf made it clear on the Road Trippin’ podcast that he is excited to work with the young center.

Duren, like Allen, will likely never become a shooting threat. However, with Cunningham, Harris, and other shooters added to the lineup, that shouldn’t be much of an issue.

Floor Spacers Will Help Duren

Last season, the Pistons were one of the worst shooting teams in the NBA

If Jalen Duren will never be a consistent shooting threat, then the Pistons will need to surround him with sharpshooters. Last season’s starting lineup was usually Duren, Cunningham, Thomson, Ivey, and Isaiah Stewart. Only Steward and Cunningham shot above the league average of 35.3 percent from behind the arc, and even then, neither one of them was elite.

Entering this season, the Pistons added Harris and Hardaway, who are both solid shooters and are expected to give Marcus Sasser and Simone Fontecchio more minutes, and both of them are solid shooters at the NBA level.

Last season, Duren averaged 13.8 points, 11.6 rebounds, 0.8 blocks, and shot 61.9 percent from the floor. Those are solid numbers for a center, and the rebounding was fifth in the NBA, making him borderline elite. His defense could use some work, and he needs to stay healthy, but the Pistons are finally making all the right investments in their young core, and it should pay off for Duren just as much as it does for Cunningham.