JalenDuren

Preseason question: Which version of Duren will the Pistons get? Duren took a major step forward last season and deservedly cracked third-team All-NBA as the second-best player on a championship contender. But then he was an abomination in the playoffs and spent the offseason haggling with Detroit over a new contract, which ultimately came in at five years and $200 million. With the focus shifted from the offseason stalemate to basketball, how will Duren attack coverages that either switch or go way under on every pick-and-roll he runs with Cade Cunningham? Will his defense continue to improve on a team that may miss Isaiah Stewart’s rim protection? Will he harbor hard feelings, in any way, about the way negotiations went with the front office, which, in his clear estimation, undervalued his contributions? How Duren bounces back from such a disappointing postseason is something everyone in Detroit will be curious about.