Los Angeles Lakers: Luol Deng embracing mentor role
Los Angeles Lakers forward Luol Deng is embracing his role as a mentor on the team.
The Los Angeles Lakers have one of the youngest rosters in the NBA. They will be relying on a number of inexperienced players, as multiple players on their rookie contracts will be in the Lakers rotation.
That youth is one of the reasons for the excitement in Los Angeles. Lonzo Ball has helped breathe new air into the organization. Brandon Ingram is being relied upon to take the next step in his development. More youngsters such as Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Ivica Zubac, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart are cause for excitement.
However, every young team needs veterans to lead the way. No matter how talented young players are, there is a lot to learn about in the NBA. The Lakers are void of many veterans, but they do have some that will lead the way for the youngsters.
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One of the veterans that the youngsters will have to learn from is Luol Deng. The veteran small forward is entering his 14th season in the NBA. He has a ton of experience to share with his younger teammates and is a wealth of knowledge.
Deng has played in more postseason games than the rest of the Lakers roster combined. Only Kenatvious Caldwell-Pope, Brook Lopez and Corey Brewer are the only other players with guaranteed contracts to make the postseason; Andrew Bogut also has a wealth of postseason experience but does not have a guaranteed contract for the season yet.
Deng has 62 games of playoff experience while Caldwell-Pope, Lopez and Brewer have 58 combined. Bogut has 58 games of playoff experience himself, so if he makes the team he will be leaned upon as a veteran leader as well.
There is a chance that Deng could be doing most of his teaching from the sideline. He battled injuries last season and was shut down early. He will have to fight for minutes this season with so many young players looking to get minutes.
However, Deng is more than willing to be a mentor no matter how much playing time he receives. When speaking to Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times, Deng revealed some of his goals for the season, one of them being that he wanted to be a mentor for the team.
"“This year I’m just working on my game, be the best I can be, but also be a mentor, just be there for these young guys,” Deng said. “No matter what my role is or what I’m able to do, it doesn’t take away what I can apply to these young guys and what I can pass forward. I love seeing them do well and succeed.”"
Lakers fans are disappointed with Deng in large part because of his contract. There is no denying that Deng is overpaid based on his production on the court, but he has a valuable role that he could fill on the team.
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As one of the most experienced players on the roster, Deng can be an extension of the coaching staff on the floor. He will help his younger teammates learn and adjust to live in the NBA, something that is not always an easy transition to make.