Lakers Free Agency Grades: Luol Deng
Early Saturday morning, it was announced that the Los Angeles Lakers had signed Luol Deng to a four-year, $72-million contract
To get things started, Luol Deng definitely fills a role for the Lakers, with the team still needing help on the wing even after drafting Brandon Ingram with the second overall pick.
However, similar to the Timofey Mozgov contract, the terms of the deal seem quite troubling on the surface, the biggest issue being is that Deng is already 31 years old, with a tremendous amount of mileage on him due to his time under Tom Thibodeau.
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For this reason, there’s definitely a chance that Deng’s deal represents a burden for the team in the final couple of years. However, Deng remains a tradeable piece that gives the Lakers a sense of legitimacy that they’ve lacked in recent years.
It will be interesting to see how the Lakers, who have a trio of very promising forwards, choose to use Deng. Luol Deng has proven able to play both forward spots but most likely projects as a wing for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Managing the minutes of Deng and the other forwards will be a challenge for Luke Walton but one he is most likely thrilled to take on.
There is also something to be said for the veteran leadership and defensive presence that Deng can provide. He will give the Lakers a legitimate option to guard the best player on opposing teams and can also become a stabilizing presence in the locker room.
Next: Final Grade