Luol Deng and his agent are seeking a trade or buyout from the Los Angeles Lakers.
Deng signed a four-year, $72 million contract with the Lakers in 2016 under the previous regime.
Deng has remained out of the rotation for most of the season even after the injury to Larry Nance Jr.
"It definitely hurts," Deng told ESPN on Monday after the Lakers practiced. "But the only answer for me now is to prove myself away from L.A. I'm not asked to play, I'm not in the rotation, so I can't prove myself here.
"Most of these young guys don't understand the business of basketball, so if I come in here and I'm angry every day, I'm taking something away from them. I have to be smiling, I have to be in the best mood I can be in, because they're living their dream of being an NBA player."
A Lakers source confirmed that the team has met with Deng's representatives to find a solution, via trade or buyout, that would allow him the opportunity to play more.
"You just never know. It could be a month, it could be a week, it could be three months," Deng said. "I don't want something to happen and I'm called upon but my shape holds me back. The challenge is to challenge yourself to be in better shape than if I was playing. Then if I fall short I'm still in good shape."
Luke Walton has attempted to be upfront with Deng about his role.
The Lakers owe Deng $36 million over the next two seasons. While prioritizing cap space for next season, the Lakers either need to trade Deng in a salary dump or waive and stretch him.
"I'm just being patient," said Deng, who has been inactive for nine of the Lakers' first 10 games. "Throughout my career I've never really been a guy who created drama or wanted to deal with drama. At the end of the day I know what it is, I know I can play the game. But it's the situation that I came into."
