What happened: Jalen Duren's new five-year, $200 million contract is set to dip in 2027-28 before increasing in each remaining season. The agreement is fully guaranteed and was signed Oct. 2 after a standoff that had kept him out since media day.

Why it matters: The year-by-year structure matters because it shows how Detroit's $200 million commitment is distributed across the upcoming seasons. It also closes the loop on Duren's media-day standoff as preseason work moves forward.

What to watch: The next details to watch are the full annual salary breakdown and Duren's return to regular preseason participation. Detroit's camp timeline now shifts from negotiations to on-court integration.