Analyst Urges Knicks to Make Pistons Trade

The New York Knicks could add one of the best young centers in the NBA.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 29, 2024

Apr 9, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) dribbles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks need a center, and they might regret a trade they made in the 2022 NBA Draft that saw them send away the rights to one of the more exciting young big men in the league.

Jalen Duren, 20, has flashed potential in his first two years with the Detroit Pistons, but the team hasn't made much progress since his arrival. The Pistons won just 14 games this past season, which could lead to them re-shuffling the deck.

SNY contributor David Vertsberger suggests that the Knicks could trade some future draft picks for Duren.

"What irony it would be if the Knicks dealt, likely as part of a larger package, the 2025 first-round Bucks pick they received from Detroit for salary dumping Kemba Walker, for the very player they dealt away as part of that trade. Duren’s had a promising but mixed first couple of seasons, and now finds himself in a somewhat cluttered Pistons big man rotation," Vertsberger writes. "If Detroit’s interested in moving on from him to clear room, New York could take a shot at an intriguing prospect who won’t have overwhelming pressure on him coming off the bench. Their trade exception can swallow his salary, and while they have limited draft capital remaining, they can shop three of their protected picks from other teams, along with seconds and maybe a future swap."

Duren averaged 13.8 points and 11.6 rebounds per game in his second season with the Pistons, making 61 appearances. It would be hard to see the Pistons say goodbye to a rising player so soon, especially given their current situation. However, it wouldn't hurt the Knicks to ask and gauge on what the price would be.

A trade like this is extremely unlikely, but Duren fits the build of what the Knicks are looking for, and maybe they can find a different version of him that's more affordable and available.

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Published Jul 29, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.