Most of the NBA’s biggest free agents have found homes, but Jalen Duren, Jonathan Kuminga and Bennedict Mathurin remain unsigned with training camp approaching.
Duren’s situation in Detroit might be the most complicated. The 22-year-old is coming off his first All-Star and All-NBA season after averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds for a 60-win Pistons team.
However, negotiations have reportedly turned ugly, with one league source describing talks as “noxious” to NBC Sports.
“There’s certain things that a player should not have to hear,” ESPN’s Vincent said on The Hoop Collective. “You know what I mean? There’s certain things that a player does not have to hear when the messaging comes back about why you’re not getting what you believe to be your value.”
Duren reportedly views himself as a max-level player, while Detroit’s offer is believed to sit in the lower $30 million-per-year range. His other option is accepting the $9.6 million qualifying offer and becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Kuminga’s market is also shrinking. The Lakers and Timberwolves appear to be his primary options after Cleveland acquired Peyton Watson.
Kuminga previously rejected a two-year, $20 million offer from Los Angeles, according to NBC Sports, but could now struggle to find anything significantly better.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst believes Minnesota could move quickly.
“Watch the Wolves in the next couple days… It’s still open, there’s still a window for the Lakers to do a Kuminga sign-and-trade,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst added. “A sign-and-trade has to be three years. Now that these other doors are closing, the Timberwolves can close that deal and sign Kuminga.”
Mathurin, meanwhile, remains a restricted free agent after averaging 17.4 points and 5.5 rebounds in 26 games for the Clippers last season.
Chicago, New Orleans, Milwaukee, Detroit and Dallas have all been linked to potential sign-and-trade scenarios, but nothing has materialized.
Mathurin can instead accept his $8.8 million qualifying offer and hit unrestricted free agency next offseason.
With several major moves now completed, Duren, Kuminga and Mathurin have become three of the biggest remaining dominoes of the offseason.