Jalen Duren, the 22-year-old Detroit Pistons center, had a productive meeting with the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.
He is scheduled to meet with them again on Wednesday morning, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.
The Lakers view Duren as a maximum-salary level player, which is notable given the Detroit Pistons' stance on matching any offer sheet.
What happened?
The Lakers' focus was on young restricted free agent big men at the start of free agency on Tuesday.
They reportedly met with both Walker Kessler in person and Jalen Duren on a call.
Why it matters for Jalen Duren
The Lakers telling Duren they believe he is a max-level player is significant, as it would take a max offer sheet to have a chance at landing him.
The Detroit Pistons have been adamant that they will match any offer sheet Duren signs, but they have yet to offer him a max contract themselves.
What comes next?
Duren is coming off a career year, having been named All-NBA Third Team and helping lead the Pistons to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Lakers' interest in Duren is strong, but they also have Walker Kessler as a top center target, according to recent reports.
The Sacramento Kings also met with Duren on Tuesday and indicated that they will continue to explore sign-and-trade scenarios to land him.
Duren's camp may be looking to get the Pistons or another team to increase their own offers by suggesting a max offer sheet could be coming.
On Tuesday, the Lakers and Duren had a productive first meeting, which led to the scheduling of a second meeting on Wednesday morning.
The outcome of these meetings will be crucial in determining Duren's future in the NBA, with several teams showing strong interest in the young center.