Los Angeles Lakers: 10 worst free agent signings in franchise history

BEIJING, CHINA - OCTOBER 13: General Manager Mitch Kupchak of the Los Angeles Lakers speaks Jerry West of the Golden State Warriors after practice as part of 2013 Global Games on October 13, 2013 at MasterCard Center in Beijing, China. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
BEIJING, CHINA - OCTOBER 13: General Manager Mitch Kupchak of the Los Angeles Lakers speaks Jerry West of the Golden State Warriors after practice as part of 2013 Global Games on October 13, 2013 at MasterCard Center in Beijing, China. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Lakers
Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images

1. Luol Deng

The worst free agent signing in Laker history is pretty easily Luol Deng, and his contract is arguably one of the worst in NBA history.

In the same summer that the Lakers locked up Mozgov to big money, they inexplicably did the same thing with an aging Luol Deng. They ended up signing Deng for an astounding $72 million for four years. That is the type of contract you give to an All-Star level player. Instead, the Lakers gave it to the diminishing Deng.

His contract was so bad that it proved to be immovable around the league and not a single team would entertain the Lakers in trade talks for him. They could not get rid of Deng until this offseason when they used the waive and stretch provision to buy out the final two years of his deal.

As a Laker Deng only played in 57 games in two seasons with the team and averaged just 7.6 points in those games. Saying his Laker career was a disappointment is the understatement of Lakers history.