Jalen Duren was both relieved and excited after signing a new five-year, $200 million deal to return to the Detroit Pistons after a contract negotiation that he said took "longer than both he and the organization anticipated."
But during his first news conference after signing his new deal, he wanted to clarify narratives that emerged during the negotiation that he said did not represent how he felt about the team, repeating that he was happy in Detroit and excited to return to the team.
"Detroit has become a home for me, this is where I live full-time," Duren told reporters at the team's practice facility on Sunday afternoon. "The city has embraced me as well as I've embraced the city.
"This process took way longer than any of us really wanted. Longer than I wanted, and I'm sure longer than the organization wanted. But [the Pistons] have a job to do as well as my team and my agency have a job to do to make the best outcome for both sides. I feel like we've done that."