Done! Latest Pistons trade! Officially parting ways with the 51-point scorer

Here we go, another trade has been finalized.

The Pistons trade Levert and two second-round picks to the Bucks, receiving Prince and Gary Harris in return. All three players are on expiring contracts.

Following this transaction, the Pistons cut payroll costs and generate a trade exception worth $14.8 million—a beneficial outcome on both fronts. Meanwhile, the Bucks currently possess seven first-rounders and four second-rounders, positioning them well for the future with their wealth of draft capital.

A quick note on Levert: born on August 25, 1994, standing 2.01m tall with a 2.08m wingspan, he is a swingman drafted 20th overall in the first round of the 2016 draft.

This guy peaked at near All-Star level, averaging 20.7 points per game during the 2020-21 season with the Pacers, and his career-high single-game score was 51 points while playing for the Nets in 2024.

Now that Levert has been traded by the Pistons to the Bucks, who are in a rebuilding phase, it’s definitely more beneficial than harmful. Next season, he is expected to receive significant playing time and ball-handling opportunities, allowing him to put up impressive stats and pursue a lucrative contract next summer.

Back to the main topic: reporter Siegel states that after sending Levert away, the Pistons free up approximately $7 million in additional cap space to re-sign restricted free agent Duren.

Yes, the Pistons have yet to reach a contract extension with Duren. The two sides remain at odds over salary, making him vulnerable to being poached. This offseason, Duren is eligible for a maximum extension worth up to 5 years and $287 million, but the Pistons clearly don’t want to pay him that much.

Now 22 years old, Duren is a center standing 2.08m tall with a 2.26m wingspan. His stats for the 2025-26 season are as follows:

Regular season: 28.2 minutes per game, 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2 assists, 65% field goal percentage, named an All-Star and selected to the All-NBA Third Team.

Playoffs: 30.1 minutes per game, 10.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.2 blocks, 51.4% field goal percentage.

He dominates in the regular season but fades in the playoffs, with limited offensive moves—especially a complete lack of shooting ability...

In short, Duren at his current stage does not deserve a max contract, and it’s understandable why the Pistons keep driving down the price.