Power Ranking: Lakers Top 5 Targets for 2014
By Jacob Rude
4. Luol Deng
Speaking of possible small forward options, none might fit better than Luol Deng. Deng is a do-it-all type of player who’s an absolute work-horse. Deng’s 38.7 minutes per game last year was the first in the NBA, just ahead of Kobe Bryant’s 38.6 minutes a game. On the Lakers, Deng would bring a defensive presence to the Lakers that not even MWP could bring. Deng is a perfect mix of Trevor Ariza and MWP, but easily better than both.
Deng could also help the Lakers if they’re committed to Mike D’Antoni past next summer. At 6’8 and 220 pounds, Deng could be the perfect stretch four in a MDA offense. While he could probably only play the position in spurts, it’s still an intriguing prospect. Personally, I’d be a big fan of Deng signing with LA, and I think he’s a very reasonable target.