Jalen Duren, Pistons’ restricted free agent, schedules calls with Lakers and Kings

Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren has meetings scheduled with the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings for Tuesday when NBA free agency begins, ESPN reported. Duren is a restricted free agent who made his first All-Star appearance and earned All-NBA third-team honors this season.

The 6-foot-10, 250-pound center averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 65 percent from the field in the regular season.

The Pistons finished with 60 wins and the top seed in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs Duren averaged 10.2 points on 51.4 percent shooting and 8.5 rebounds before the Pistons were eliminated by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round. The Lakers have $52 million in projected cap space after Deandre Ayton exercised his $8.1 million contract option.

The team reached agreement on a four-year, $185 million extension with Austin Reaves and still has free agents including LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes and Luke Kennard. Duren's meeting with the Lakers is expected to be by phone. The Kings would need a sign-and-trade involving Domantas Sabonis, who has two years and $94 million remaining on his contract, to acquire Duren.

The Pistons are uninterested in including Duren in any sign-and-trade offer, team sources told ESPN. Duren's meeting with the Kings has an undetermined format. Duren and the Pistons remain far apart on contract negotiations, The Athletic reported.