Eight months after signing a huge contract with the Lakers, there appears to be no role in L.A. for Luol Deng, writes Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News.
Deng was on the inactive list Friday as the Lakers hosted the Celtics. Coach Luke Walton explained that he wants to get more court time for his younger players over the final month and a half of the season.
But part of the decision stems from Deng’s production. The 31-year-old small forward has averaged just 7.6 points per game and is shooting a career-worst 38.6% from the field. He was given a four-year, $72MM contract last July to be the team’s starting small forward. He held that role through his first 49 games, but his playing time for the rest of the season appears to be limited.
Deng, who still has three seasons and $54MM left on his deal, said he understands Walton’s decision to make him inactive.
“He wants the guys to be in situations where they learn and play minutes,” Deng said. “It’s always about what we’re trying to do. Why am I going to be on the bench if I’m not playing?”
Deng lost his starting spot to rookie Brandon Ingram about a month ago. His production plummeted in a reserve role, down to just 4.1 points and 21.3 minutes over seven games while shooting 27.8% from the field. Walton kept him on the bench for all of Tuesday’s game with Charlotte before deactivating him on Friday.
In addition to giving more playing time to the Lakers’ young core, Walton needs to evaluate Tyler Ennis, who was acquired from the Rockets last week, and David Nwaba, who is with the team on a 10-day contact. There has been no announcement on whether Deng will be in uniform for tonight’s game with the Pelicans.
“He wants to play the young guys, so I’m not going to play,” Deng said. “So there’s no point of being on the active roster and sit on the bench. He’s got to keep all the guys he’s going to play and evaluate.”
That’s what they get for handing out an awful contract to an avg at best player.
Him and mozgov
Thanks Kupchak
That’s why Mitch got the boot. Mozgov and Deng have basically unmoveable contracts.
Still one of the best of all time (in my book)
Noah for deng?
Why? Lakers already overpaid Mozgov. They don’t need 2 overpaid bigs, a big and a wing is probably more preferable.
Maybe Noah and Melo for Deng?
He should of stay in miami tho
At this Pointe, let the season end
And find a team/area he would like to play for. Gonna have to eat a portion of his contract and try to acquire late picks or expiring contracts back
Sorry for the double post
That’s what happen when u go for the paycheck instead of a ring I totally get it but the idoiots who Jeanie kicked out of the FO did this mess. There was no reason to pay deng that kinda money or mozgov he’s average at best. Is the draft/offseason here yet plz get us some help Magic
Deng will get waived and then go to Cleveland like Bogut and Deron and Derrick Williams and help win a ring.
Can’t happen, the deadline for players to be playoff eligible after being waived passed already
Oh I didn’t realize that. He can still go play with them for the rest of the regular season though, right?
That’s why his contract made no sense. Not so much for his production, but they’re going to have younger players developing and passing him on the depth chart. That’s the puzzling part.
It’s amazing how terrible some of these “professional” GM’s are.
I’m a Bulls fan, and I love Deng and can’t say enough good things about the guy, but he a VERY old 31.
He came into the league when he was only 19, and he was a great two-way player who played a ton of minutes per game. That takes a HUGE toll on a body.
If he was a typical NBA 31 year old (who entered the league when he was 22), then I’d say it wasn’t a bad four year deal.
However, given the aforementioned facts, and this already being his 15th season, the deal was terrible.
Read between the lines: Tanking to retain draft pick.
I like Noah for Mozcov. Both under-performing Centers with albatross contracts signed to similar numbers. (Noah 4 years $72M, Mozcov 4 years $64M)
Problem is I think Noah has lower trade value then Mozcov at the moment. At least Mozzy is a healthy DNP because of the Lakers Youth movement. Noah’s injured all the time.