Jalen Duren's $200 Million Deal Rests on One Number

Jalen Duren’s $200 million contract with the Detroit Pistons, agreed to on Oct. 2, hinges on one major stat swing: his scoring output dropping from 19.5 points per game in the regular season to 10.2 in the playoffs over 14 games. At 22, Duren made his first All-Star team last season and earned All-NBA third-team honors, but the postseason decline put him in unwanted historical company. Detroit’s regular-season numbers—19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds per game on 65% shooting across 70 games—helped earn a 60-22 record and the Eastern Conference’s top seed. The deal became final after deadline night.