“You can’t take the qualifying offer coming off an All-Star season,” one Western Conference executive told Siegel. Nobody will view you close to the player you think you are again. Giving up a nine-figure deal for the qualifying offer and risking getting hurt with no long-term security, especially as a center in today’s league, would be extremely reckless and foolish.” With the Pistons hoping to pay Duren in the neighborhood of $30-35MM per year and the All-NBA third-teamer seeking a maximum-salary deal, there’s still a sizable gap between the two sides, Siegel writes. Here are a few more notes and rumors on NBA free agency: