The Detroit Pistons have kicked off the 2026-27 season in spectacular fashion, but that doesn’t mean they are dodging the always tricky terrain of injuries. The latest to feel it? Jalen Duren.
The center, who recently signed a $200 million contract extension, will be sidelined for at least two weeks due to a right hamstring strain; information was officially provided by the Michigan franchise itself.
As could be seen live, the ailment occurred during the first half of Friday’s game against the Miami Heat, in which Duren could only log 10 minutes on the floor before leaving the contest. This is how his coach, J.B. Bickerstaff, explains how he feels about it.
“It’s hard to lose a player who means so much to us, as JD does. It’s tough. It’s hard for him, especially when he was still returning and adjusting at the start of the season. Valuable days are lost. No doubt, it’s a difficult situation for us,” the coach stresses, who in the win over the Philadelphia 76ers also couldn’t rely on Ausar Thompson.
Jalen Duren, Marked by the Negotiation
That’s right. Throughout the summer the center endured a constant back-and-forth with the Pistons’ organization as they negotiated his contract extension up until the deadline. He ultimately signed, but by then he had already missed Media Day and several preseason practices. Nevertheless, he had looked really good in the early regular-season games until the aforementioned injury.
