The 2026-27 NBA season is right around the corner, and the Detroit Pistons are hard at work preparing for the grind.
After finishing with the first seed in the East last season, they have ambitions of an even greater run.
The problem is, with Jalen Duren extension talks still ongoing, the Pistons still don’t know when they can expect their starting center back in action.
He was absent this week during NBA Media Day and has yet to show up to training camp.
Still, according to head coach J.B.
Bickerstaff, he fully expects Duren back in the lineup for the upcoming season.
“I expect JD to be here,” said Bickerstaff.
“I haven’t had a doubt in my mind that he was going to come back.
My responsibility is to maintain that relationship with him so that when he’s here, we can do the best to help him and do the best by the team.
He’s that type of person where he just wants to help the team.
He wants to be a part of what our growth and success looks like here in Detroit, and he’s been a huge part of that.
So, we prepare as if he’s going to be here because that’s our plan, and the plan that the front office has in place.
When he gets here, we’ll welcome him with open arms, and we’ll get to....
