Lakers: 3 Potential Landing Spots for Luol Deng

While all the attention has been on Lou Williams as of late, Luol Deng could also be on the move. Here are three potential landing spots for the two-time All-Star.

It’s only the second day of trade deadline week and the Los Angeles Lakers have already reportedly been involved in some of the NBA’s more high-profile trade rumors.

They were reportedly involved with the DeMarcus Cousins trade but were unwilling to give up rookie Brandon Ingram in the deal, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.

The latest trade rumor in Los Angeles involves Jimmy Butler, who has been the subject of trade rumors all season, but never with the Purple and Gold. Are the Lakers actually going to trade for Butler? Probably not, but trade rumors are fun. Which is why you’re here! To read about trades that probably won’t happen for fun.

Oklahoma City Thunder

If you didn’t get misty-eyed when Kevin Durant threw that lob to Russell Westbrook in the All-Star game, there is something wrong with you. For one night, everything was okay again. Durant and Westbrook shared the court again and it was just as beautiful as we remembered. Poetry in motion. That was Sunday. Things are for real now.

While Durant and the Golden State Warriors are sitting comfortable at the top of the Western Conference, Westbrook and his band of misfits are at the bottom of the playoff picture and trending downward.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have lost six of their last 10 games to teams with All-Star caliber wings like Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Jimmy Butler and yes, Otto Porter Jr.

That’s no coincidence.

Ever since Durant left, the Thunder have had a glaring hole at small forward and they know it. They tried to address it by trading for Jerami Grant, but Grant’s 6.1 points per game aren’t exactly getting it done. Nor is Andre “please don’t make me shoot” Roberson and his 6.6 points. Russ needs a wing and the Lakers have one to spare.

Luol Deng signed a four-year, $72 million deal with the Purple and Gold to essentially be a placeholder for rookie Brandon Ingram until Luke Walton felt Ingram was ready. That day came on Feb. 6 and Deng hasn’t started a game since. In OKC, he would get a fresh start and a defined role on a contending team.

The Lakers could send Deng, along with Nick Young and Thomas Robinson in exchange for Andre Roberson, Nick Collison, Anthony Morrow, Kyle Singler and OKC’s $7 million trade exception.

Deng’s offensive versatility would give Oklahoma options outside of Victor Oladipo and Westbrook. Right now, their third best option is Roberson, who is shooting 43 percent from the field and 24 percent from behind the arc. However, Roberson isn’t alone is three-point struggles. The Thunder are the second-worst three-point shooting team in the NBA.

Young, who is shooting a career-best 41.3 percent from 3, would boost their 3-point shooting in a big way. He’s not the defender Roberson, but he’s also not a traffic cone.

And it should go without saying, but Thomas Robinson would be an upgrade at power forward over Nick Collison. The trade would be mutually beneficial for both teams.

Minnesota Timberwolves

What if instead of going back to Chicago, Tom Thibodeau brought his old Bulls squad to Minnesota? He has all of the power to do so as the Timberwolves’ president of basketball operations AND head coach, so what’s stopping him? Absolutely nothing.

Reuniting Derrick Rose and Thibs would certainly be something. Rose had his best years with Thibodeau in Chicago, so pairing the two wouldn’t be a terrible idea. But why stop there? Get the rest of the band back together, Tom! Preferably, starting with Luol Deng.

Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report mentioned earlier this season that Thibodeau was looking for a “veteran who can help him win now” but it  had to be, “a player he already knows and trusts.” Bucher named Deng as a potential target.

Deng was a two-time All-Star under Thibodeau and the two have always had a lot of respect for each other. Shipping Deng to Minnesota would arguably put Deng in a better position than the one he is in right now in Los Angeles.

In this trade, the Lakers would send Deng, Nick Young and Marcelo Huertas for Tyus Jones, Shabazz Muhammad and Nikola Pekovic.

Pekovic, who has played a combined 43 games over the last three seasons, is due $23.7 million over the next two seasons. As bad as that sounds, he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2018, when players like Paul George and DeMarcus Cousins hit the open market. It’s also the same season new Laker Corey Brewer’s contract expires. Can you say max contract slot?

Aside from that, the Lakers would be getting back a capable backup point guard in Tyus Jones, who hasn’t been given the opportunity to grow in Minnesota, and Shabazz Muhammad, an LA native that could serve as Ingram’s backup. Muhammad grew up in Long Beach, CA and played college hoops at UCLA. Both players are under the age of 25.

As for the Timberwolves, they would get established veterans to play alongside their exciting young core. Young could fill the void at shooting guard while Zach LaVine recovers from a torn ACL and Deng could play alongside Karl-Anthony Towns in the frontcourt. Deng can guard both forward positions and space the floor, so the fit would be natural. Huertas is just gravy.

Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings’ front office is a mess. Messier than the Lakers’ front office and they literally just exploded it the other day. Like Bruce Willis in “Die Hard with a Vengeance” exploded it. My point is, Sacramento need help and help isn’t on the way.

What is the likelihood the Kings are at the top of any free agent’s list of possible destinations right now? The answer; very few, in any at all. If they’re going to improve their roster, they’re going to do it through trades.

Sure, Buddy Hield could work out and yeah, their late-lottery pick could be a sleeper superstar, but those are two huge risks. When you’re a team as bad as Sacramento, risks are the last thing you want. The team needs stability and/or a veteran player with no criminal record to mentor their young players. Enter, Luol Deng.

More from Lake Show Life

• Darvin Ham adds to Max Christie hype train after Lakers preseason opener
• Is LeBron James playing tonight? Latest Lakers vs Warriors update
• Can Darvin Ham put all of the Lakers puzzle pieces together?
• Lakers news: Darvin Ham knows his fifth starter, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino praise
• Michael Malone’s painfully ironic comment has Lakers fans heated

Deng is one of the most heralded character guys in the NBA. His veteran presence would provide a much needed calming presence to a team on fire right now. One other thing that makes Deng attractive to the Kings is his contract, which is something I didn’t think I’d be saying ever.

The four-year, $72 million contract Deng signed this past summer is weighing heavy on the Lakers, but for a team with virtually no chance at signing players of Deng’s caliber in free agency, his contract is wonderful. All they would have to do in return is dump a contract they were planning on getting rid of anyway.

Before Rudy Gay ruptured his Achilles tendon at the beginning of the year, he was being shopped by the Kings. While he can still be traded, the value they would get back for him would be very little. This would be the best and only trade for the Kings and they should do it.

Why? Because Deng is the hero Sacramento deserves. Also, I just really want that contract gone. Erased from history forever. Please.

Next: Magic Johnson wants PG13

But what do you guys think? Are any of these trades realistic? Does Deng need a change of scenery? Let us know in the comments below!