The Pistons suffered a stunning home loss in Game 5 to the Cavaliers, putting them on the brink of elimination. Cade Cunningham tried to will the team, scoring 39 points and adding nine assists. He’s been exceptional throughout the postseason. Yet, this is now the second time in as many series that the Pistons will battle elimination. That’s largely because Cunningham’s co-star is going through a rough stretch.

Duren was a terrifying double-double threat in the regular season, posting consecutive 20+ point games. In the playoffs, he is yet to breach 15, first struggling against Orlando before being weighed down by the Cavaliers. Charles Barkley hinted that Duren’s reliance on Cunningham has affected his scoring. He still couldn’t wrap his head around the Pistons center failing to secure rebounds. Barkley drew a firm line after Duren grabbed just 2 rebounds in Game 4.

“His whole game is offensive rebounds and lob dunks from Cade — he’s not getting those. But his rebounding, listen, he should never have 2 rebounds ever. That’s two more than a dead person, come man, man. You can never have 2 rebounds. But he’s a young kid. H’s going to get in the gym, work on a 12-15 foot jumper or something like that. But he’s too good a player. He’s an All-Star,” the Hall of Famer said on Inside the NBA.

Jalen Duren’s struggles aren’t due to an inability to handle physicality. The Pistons’ ruthless center did that for fun in the regular season. But his confidence appears to have taken a hit. In a pivotal Game 5 at home, Duren had some highlights. He executed a flawless spin move to get a dunk against Evan Mobley. But his impact at the end of the day was reflected in just 9 points and 5 rebounds.

Duren has found himself in a brutal stretch at the worst possible time. In these playoffs alone, he’s now been held to single-digit scoring five times- a sharp contrast to his regular season, where that only happened six times across 70 games. The drop-off has become too noticeable to ignore.

There was a glimpse of impact earlier in the postseason when he pulled down 12 rebounds in a strong outing, but consistency has vanished since then. Cleveland’s game plan has been clear and effective: crowd his space, keep him out of the paint, and force him into uncomfortable, contested looks on the perimeter.

That ongoing struggle ultimately shaped Coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s decision in Game 5. Instead of relying on Duren early, he turned to a different rotation, keeping him on the bench through the first three quarters and leaning on Paul Reed in the closing stretch and overtime. Reed, despite limited minutes prior, brought immediate energy- crashing the glass, finishing possessions, and providing the interior presence the team had been missing.

After the game, Duren didn’t dodge responsibility when asked about his performance.

“Absolutely, I feel like I could be better in all aspects of the game. Continue to grind and continue to grow.”

Pressed on whether sitting through most of the game had frustrated him, his answer stayed composed.

“My brothers handled it. Bball came in ready to go.”

The Pistons center is long overdue to make a statement in the playoffs. This year, expectations were high since Duren improved massively. The Pistons wouldn’t be a one seed without the 22-year-old’s breakout 2025-26 campaign. However, if things continue to flow the way they are, Jalen Duren might cost himself a lot of money.

Jalen Duren’s max contract is in jeopardy

Until before Game 5, maybe the Detroit Pistons were patient with Jalen Duren. In his contract year, the 6’10” bruising center became an All-Star for the first time in his career. At 22, Duren understood how to maneuver his 250lbs frame and be dominant in the regular season. The Pistons star scored 20 or more in nearly half of the games. Detroit thought they finally had a consistent star besides Cade Cunningham.

There was just one test Jalen Duren needed to pass, which was the postseason. He didn’t fare well against the Knicks last year, but hadn’t experienced a leap. This year, there were no excuses. Duren had to show up, with a potential extension of more than $250 million, depending on how he handles pressure when every possession counts.

Sadly, it’s been a flop thus far. Almost as if Jalen Duren has forgotten he’s a 6’10” center who dominated the regular season. He’s not being physical and hasn’t imposed himself on the glass. According to Brett Seigel, his drastic decline during the postseason is likely to result in a significant cut in his extension.

“Jalen Duren has lost a lot of money from these playoffs. Before the postseason, expectations around the league were that Duren would see upwards of $200M due to his All-NBA-like season. It’s possible he’s lost over $50M from these playoffs alone,” the insider wrote on X.

The Pistons don’t view Jalen Duren as a proven commodity- not yet. While Cade Cunningham has shouldered the franchise’s resurrection and carried it all the way to the East’s top seed, Duren’s playoff demons have followed him like a shadow. Cunningham has even raised his game when the lights get brightest- the gold standard the NBA demands before handing out max money. Duren, by contrast, is still searching for his defining moment.

Those struggles could cost him more than just confidence. All-NBA voters are watching, and a shaky postseason could quietly bury what was otherwise a compelling case. The $50 million-per-year threshold, once a realistic target, now feels like a stretch. And with Detroit holding restricted free agent rights, the Pistons don’t have to make a move. They can sit back, let the market speak, and match whatever comes.

But here’s what they know: when Duren is locked in, this team looks like a dynasty in the making. He’s the kind of rare, raw talent that doesn’t come back around- not for a franchise that was, not long ago, scraping the bottom of the league. At 22, with a ceiling still nowhere in sight, writing him off would be its own kind of gamble.

A potential Game 6 looms. For Duren, it’s less of a basketball game and more of a verdict. Proof that he belongs when it matters most, or another chapter in a postseason story he’d rather rewrite.

Do you think he will answer the bell? Let us know your views in the comments below.