Los Angeles Lakers: Luol Deng:…Retire or Leave!

The Los Angeles Lakers and Luol Deng are locked in a financial and basketball floor stalemate. A spot that is tough for both sides.

The Los Angeles Lakers have made it clear to Luol Deng, fans, the NBA as a whole and anyone who will listen that Luol Deng is not part of the long-range plans of the team going forward. Only one problem…

Luol Deng thinks he can contribute on the floor.

The Los Angeles Lakers have made it clear that Luol Deng’s contract is available in a trade. CRYSTAL CLEAR! Only one problem…

No NBA team will take on Deng’s contract without a King’s ransom and the right to unload their bad contracts to do so.

There’s only one solution…Luol Deng needs to negotiate a buyout and give money to the Lakers to leave or retire.

Look, Lake Show Lifers, I get it. This is a cold way to start an article. You might be saying…”This Ronald Agers has no idea what he is talking about. I read the articles from various websites. He played well in the NBA/Africa game.”

Sorry, that’s a glorified pickup game. There’s even a tweet with Deng scoring over JaVale McGee. I know the man can still get some time in the NBA. Orlando, Sacramento and Atlanta still as of this writing still stink. Well everyone let me tell YOU something…

You’re right.

You see I have covered Luol Deng at times during his career. I was the Editor (Now known as Site Expert) for the Chicago Bulls website Pippen Ain’t Easy. I wrote a heartfelt article when he was traded to Cleveland three years ago. This is a loyal and proud man. Not just a player, but man. He was devastated when he left Chicago and he struggled mightily in a Cavs uniform. But he forgot a major lesson from that experience.

The NBA is a business. Period.

The word loyalty has floated around NBA circles this summer with all of the high profile free agents leaving their teams and moving on to greener pastures (LeBron James, the dude in the No. 23 jersey might be a good example). I’m here to tell you that the argument is taken out of context and is dangerously misconstrued.

Let’s break down Luol Deng’s situation, shall we?

Luol Deng’s signing for the lottery winner’s amount of four years at $72 million dollars was done in the Jim Buss/Mitch Kupchak era. Are they still there in Laker Land? No. Mitch Kupchak is now the GM in Charlotte trying to save Michael Jordan’s slow leaking ship and Jim Buss hasn’t been heard from since.

PowerPoint presentation number one: Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka flat out don’t want you.

Magic Johnson, to be kind, was very critical of Jim Buss’ moves as the Lakers head of operations. The criticism was bad enough that he and the franchise separated from each other for a period of time.

Handing a $72 million dollar contract to a player that a franchise could get for half the price probably was on that long list. It relates to a company that comes in and buys out one of their competitors. What is the first thing that the new company does? The company takes stock in all of the financial issues that they deem as dead weight.

Let’s see? A player that is still owed $18 million dollars for the next two years that will never see a minute on the floor. DING! DING! DING! DING! Quality issue here. Since we are talking about bad contracts here, let’s talk about…

PowerPoint presentation number two: Umm, Luol, you aren’t the only one…just the LAST one.

Most new executives have their own business plans and want to run the operation as they see fit. Why should a well-known businessman (not basketball player folks) who has been wildly successful, be any different. Think about it…

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Lou Williams was traded basically after the lights were turned out on the press conference introducing Magic Johnson as the head of basketball operations. Not only was he playing, but he was balling at the time. Why? Cap space.

Timofey Mozgov got his plane ticket to Brooklyn to get rid of his albatross contract. Remember D’Angelo Russell? You know that dude that was a lottery pick who was the point guard of the future?

Oh yeah, Kupchak and Buss made that decision. Now your point guards are Lonzo Ball (Magic Johnson draft selection) and Rajon Rondo (Magic Johnson free agent signing.) Now three franchises later, Mosgov and his $50 million dollar contract is in Orlando.

Now I understand, Deng’s contract wants to be moved, but how about Jordan Clarkson’s contract? He was sitting on a $50 million dollar contract as well. It was well known that Luol’s and Jordan Clarkson’s contract were the ones needed to put the Lakers on the fast track to obtaining enough cap space for two max contract deals this summer.

Getting the Cleveland Cavaliers to take that contract was a stroke of genius. Larry Nance Jr. was a loss but sacrifices had to be made. Did anyone see Clarkson in the Finals? I didn’t either. If a player has a $50 million dollar deal, well…or forget it.

Julius Randle asked to be renounced as soon as LeBron James was signed. The Lakers said cool. This is after he had a career year. Luol Deng did what last year…not as much as Randle did. But got paid a lot more.

The L.A. Times’ Bill Plaschke profiled Deng’s professionalism in trying to stay engaged and ready during Lakers games in February…

"“Deng watches the game on Television and imitates its flow. When there’s action, he runs on a treadmill. When there’s a timeout, he stops. When the whistle blows, he runs again. When the Lakers are playing defense, he slides his feet as if playing imaginary defense.”"

This is a true sign of professionalism that I don’t believe many NBA players have today. This is very admirable. But it does not matter. You cannot imitate NBA play. You have to play. There is no crossover dribbles in that locker room. No elbows in your kidneys and ribs. Forget the jump shot, something that is a totally different beast, when you are tired.

Finally, LeBron James is now in town. The mission statement for any NBA team changes when the ink dries on his contract and is placed in the computer system. His presence changes a mission statement faster that the military’s when it’s changed from peacetime to war. Ask David Blatt and Andrew Wiggins, when James decided to take his talents back to Cleveland.

In my opinion, the only way Deng has a chance to play another minute in the NBA is asking for a buyout, barring some unforeseen miracle of a GM trying to get Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart or Lonzo Ball. Throw in a couple of first round picks, front row season tickets to Lakers and Dodgers, then maybe the deal will be done. The Lakers front office will not take back bad contracts so this trade will never happen.

The stretch provision is definitely an option. Luol Deng’s former teammate, Joakim Noah is sitting in the same position on the same contract. New York looks to be going in that direction. Deng needs to hop the same thing happens for him financially as well.

So to Luol Deng, you have a decision to make. Will you give back money to Lakers to leave and get on to another team (Believe me Tom Thibodeau can use your professionalism in Minnesota, Derrick Rose, Taj Gibson in the fold, get Joakim Noah, put the band back together!) or take the money you are owed. Atlanta gave Carmelo Anthony over 25 million to go away. There’s a number to start negotiations.

Good luck.