Luol Deng Wants To Play, Seeks Clarity From Lakers

[bringbackhoffa]

Makes me wonder who says NO to Deng+Kuzma for Ibaka.

Would the Lakers want to get out of his salary for the next two years to be willing to give up a promising kid in Kuzma? I didn't follow the Lakers much last season but I remember a few good games out of Kuzma.

Stat-wise, Randle looked much better, and Ibaka had a better RPM than both of them. But the promise/potential of youth can be strong...

Are the Lakers in Win Now mode this season? Do they need to shed salary to add another star next season? Do the Raptors even want to give up Ibaka when they look like a strong contender for the ECF this season? If they can't re-sign Leonard next summer, I'm sure they'd love to have Kuzma going forward instead of a late 20s Ibaka.

Kuz is already better than Ibaka so why would the Lakers do this

[The_Hater]

Every single one of these highly paid, fading players who ‘seek clarity’ can get everything they want just by walking away from all or even most of their contract. They can sign and play wherever they want at that point. But not one of them has ever done this.

[Perry Mason]

Yes, I can already see how you would give up 30 million dollars and "void" your contract...give me a break...

Of course not, I'd take the money just like he is but I wouldn't bitch and complain and demand trades knowing I'm so bad the organization can't trade me without having to send out valuable assets just to get rid of me and my overpaid contract which is not going to happen either. Surely he's not so stupid he can't see this and that he has zero leverage and why they wouldn't want to stretch him, can't trade him etc. If you collect the checks you don't have much right to complain about your role. Just be a professional.

Stfu c*nt

Stop with the offensive personal attacks.

You sir are a complete fool. The argument is sound. He's not good enough to play. This isn't a charity; its a team. If playing is more important to him, he needs to negotiate a buyout at a discount, and he can sign with anyone else for his current market value.

[bb22]

Of course not, I'd take the money just like he is but I wouldn't bitch and complain and demand trades knowing I'm so bad the organization can't trade me without having to send out valuable assets just to get rid of me and my overpaid contract which is not going to happen either. Surely he's not so stupid he can't see this and that he has zero leverage and why they wouldn't want to stretch him, can't trade him etc. If you collect the checks you don't have much right to complain about your role. Just be a professional.

Stfu c*nt

Stop with the offensive personal attacks.

You sir are a complete fool. The argument is sound. He's not good enough to play. This isn't a charity; its a team. If playing is more important to him, he needs to negotiate a buyout at a discount, and he can sign with anyone else for his current market value.

I think that was Deng taking it personally.

[ChokeFasncists]

He has all the power to void his contract and go sign with another team if he doesn't like wasting what time he has left in the NBA. I'm sure the Lakers wouldn't stop him much like the Knicks wouldn't stop Noah. I'm tired of hearing these guys talk about not playing when the solution is in their hands, otherwise just collect your massive checks. They are honoring those contracts so they least you can do is honor your end of the bargain and not stir the pot and do as they wish.

No chance he voids his contract, it's negotiation, buyout, meet in the middle kinda thing.

But since they're not rebuilding/playing youth anymore, he should be able to get pt if he can still play.

Next year he'll be expiring and the Lakers should be able to trade him.

He played great before the contract, I don't believe he's that bad now.

If LBJ plays the four then it's a problem, otherwise, he should be good as a 3&D four.

[ChokeFasncists]

Frankly, I get it that he sucked in his first season with the Lakers, but to not even include him in garbage time for a whole season is rather disrespectful. Hes been a great player throughout his career, he deserves playing at least 10-15 mins a game in which he could be helpful for the team, after all you are paying him bloody 18 million a year, why not use him after all?

I suppose to try to get him to give up more money in a buyout?

[Rek]

It's not merely a decision to play the youth when said youth has outplayed you in every way. He's welcome to believe that he still has game. But, he's not the player he once was. He's not even the player that contributed for Miami. Age has slowed him badly.

However, I'm sure he's not happy that he still wasn't asked to play when Ingram and others were injured after the allstar break. They played Hart at the 3 instead of giving Deng a single minute. Best path for them is to part ways, however that plays out.

[12footrim]

No chance he voids his contract, it's negotiation, buyout, meet in the middle kinda thing.

If it was a meet in the middle it would have already happened. The Lakers would love to get out of that much.

But since they're not rebuilding/playing youth anymore, he should be able to get pt if he can still play.

Next year he'll be expiring and the Lakers should be able to trade him.

He played great before the contract, I don't believe he's that bad now.

2 years ago he played 27 minutes a game and had a .470 true shooting percentage and a 10 PER. Those are horrible, his only redeeming quality is he could play a little D and had the #159th RPM. All that is barely NBA 15th man. He's 2 years older now, highly unlikely he's more than NBA fringe filler at this point.

[Dan Z]

Frankly, I get it that he sucked in his first season with the Lakers, but to not even include him in garbage time for a whole season is rather disrespectful. Hes been a great player throughout his career, he deserves playing at least 10-15 mins a game in which he could be helpful for the team, after all you are paying him bloody 18 million a year, why not use him after all?

The Lakers offered him exactly this last season. He and his agent turned it down. Apparently he's too good for garbage time.

I thought the decision not to play late in the season was mutual by both Deng and the Lakers?

Also his quote above (wiretap) he says it wasn't his decision not to play.

[Dan Z]

He has all the power to void his contract and go sign with another team if he doesn't like wasting what time he has left in the NBA. I'm sure the Lakers wouldn't stop him much like the Knicks wouldn't stop Noah. I'm tired of hearing these guys talk about not playing when the solution is in their hands, otherwise just collect your massive checks. They are honoring those contracts so they least you can do is honor your end of the bargain and not stir the pot and do as they wish.

Yes, I can already see how you would give up 30 million dollars and "void" your contract...give me a break...

Of course not, I'd take the money just like he is but I wouldn't bitch and complain and demand trades knowing I'm so bad the organization can't trade me without having to send out valuable assets just to get rid of me and my overpaid contract which is not going to happen either. Surely he's not so stupid he can't see this and that he has zero leverage and why they wouldn't want to stretch him, can't trade him etc. If you collect the checks you don't have much right to complain about your role. Just be a professional.

Deng has been professional thought this situation. Most players would speak out months ago and maybe even be a negative influence on the team. He didn't do any of that and is speaking now because he's frustrated (understandably so).

[ChokeFasncists]

No chance he voids his contract, it's negotiation, buyout, meet in the middle kinda thing.

If it was a meet in the middle it would have already happened. The Lakers would love to get out of that much.

I imagine they couldn't agree on how much each side would give up. Maybe this was part of the process.

But since they're not rebuilding/playing youth anymore, he should be able to get pt if he can still play.

Next year he'll be expiring and the Lakers should be able to trade him.

He played great before the contract, I don't believe he's that bad now.

2 years ago he played 27 minutes a game and had a .470 true shooting percentage and a 10 PER. Those are horrible, his only redeeming quality is he could play a little D and had the #159th RPM. All that is barely NBA 15th man. He's 2 years older now, highly unlikely he's more than NBA fringe filler at this point.

I suppose they were using him wrong. He wasn't able to carry a team of young guys. He would be a good role player on a team with stars.

More importantly, he was a four in Miami when he played well. He definitely isn't a three these days. They had Randle and Nance. Terrible signing. They got Kuzma the next season. Wagner probably won't be ready so soon, so he'll be playing only behind Kuzma.

Lets see how it goes next season. Playing him and LBJ as forwards would be fine, LBJ can be the point forward and guard the three. In a small lineup, if LBJ plays the four, maybe he could play the five for a bit?

[12footrim]

Yes, I can already see how you would give up 30 million dollars and "void" your contract...give me a break...

Of course not, I'd take the money just like he is but I wouldn't bitch and complain and demand trades knowing I'm so bad the organization can't trade me without having to send out valuable assets just to get rid of me and my overpaid contract which is not going to happen either. Surely he's not so stupid he can't see this and that he has zero leverage and why they wouldn't want to stretch him, can't trade him etc. If you collect the checks you don't have much right to complain about your role. Just be a professional.

Deng has been professional thought this situation. Most players would speak out months ago and maybe even be a negative influence on the team. He didn't do any of that and is speaking now because he's frustrated (understandably so).

It comes with the territory IMO. If you sign massive contracts like this and stink you aren't going to be tradable and the GM that gave it to you and was invested in you is probably going to lose his job. This certainly isn't the first time this has ever happened so you know what you are getting yourself into. He has no excuse to be annoyed.

[Dan Z]

Of course not, I'd take the money just like he is but I wouldn't bitch and complain and demand trades knowing I'm so bad the organization can't trade me without having to send out valuable assets just to get rid of me and my overpaid contract which is not going to happen either. Surely he's not so stupid he can't see this and that he has zero leverage and why they wouldn't want to stretch him, can't trade him etc. If you collect the checks you don't have much right to complain about your role. Just be a professional.

Deng has been professional thought this situation. Most players would speak out months ago and maybe even be a negative influence on the team. He didn't do any of that and is speaking now because he's frustrated (understandably so).

It comes with the territory IMO. If you sign massive contracts like this and stink you aren't going to be tradable and the GM that gave it to you and was invested in you is probably going to lose his job. This certainly isn't the first time this has ever happened so you know what you are getting yourself into. He has no excuse to be annoyed.

He has every reason to be annoyed. He's a 10 year veteran and a former all-star. Yes he's not the player that he once was, and he played poorly his first year with the Lakers, but he's healthy and wants to play.

As you said above this has happened before. In most cases those players were disruptive to their team. Deng is not. He's been professional and is only speaking out about this now (the offseason). Sure he might continue to sit on the bench (the Lakers aren't obligated to play him) but he has every right to vent. Even his comments above aren't that bad when you consider the situation he's in.

[QBoro KnicksFan]

Of course not, I'd take the money just like he is but I wouldn't bitch and complain and demand trades knowing I'm so bad the organization can't trade me without having to send out valuable assets just to get rid of me and my overpaid contract which is not going to happen either. Surely he's not so stupid he can't see this and that he has zero leverage and why they wouldn't want to stretch him, can't trade him etc. If you collect the checks you don't have much right to complain about your role. Just be a professional.

Stfu c*nt

Stop with the offensive personal attacks.

You sir are a complete fool. The argument is sound. He's not good enough to play. This isn't a charity; its a team. If playing is more important to him, he needs to negotiate a buyout at a discount, and he can sign with anyone else for his current market value.

Blah, blah, blah.....suck my d*ck, lil biatch

Enough

[QBoro KnicksFan]

Stfu c*nt

Stop with the offensive personal attacks.

You sir are a complete fool. The argument is sound. He's not good enough to play. This isn't a charity; its a team. If playing is more important to him, he needs to negotiate a buyout at a discount, and he can sign with anyone else for his current market value.

I think that was Deng taking it personally.

F U 2 cock$ucker

Suspended

[madmaxmedia]

Will he be in training camp? That would be the time for the Lakers to figure out if he has a role on this new team. It's not a developmental year any more, so maybe he can find a role now.

On second thought:

[DarthDiggler69]

I bet eventually when Lebron gets frustrated with the kids he will have Deng play with him

[dan-man]

Negotiate a buy-out or shut the fu*k up. Those are the options Luol. I suspect the Lakers will have to hold onto him until 2019 so at that point, his contract will at least be expiring and have some value in that.

[dan-man]

Will he be in training camp? That would be the time for the Lakers to figure out if he has a role on this new team. It's not a developmental year any more, so maybe he can find a role now.

On second thought:

He never had a role. This was a terrible desperation contract from Fredo Buss. The lakers are waiting patiently until 2019 so they can leverage the expiration of the contract for someone else. Maybe they can trade him and a pick for a future free agent they would acquire anyway. Like Leonard.

[dan-man]

Deng has been professional thought this situation. Most players would speak out months ago and maybe even be a negative influence on the team. He didn't do any of that and is speaking now because he's frustrated (understandably so).

It comes with the territory IMO. If you sign massive contracts like this and stink you aren't going to be tradable and the GM that gave it to you and was invested in you is probably going to lose his job. This certainly isn't the first time this has ever happened so you know what you are getting yourself into. He has no excuse to be annoyed.

He has every reason to be annoyed. He's a 10 year veteran and a former all-star. Yes he's not the player that he once was, and he played poorly his first year with the Lakers, but he's healthy and wants to play.

As you said above this has happened before. In most cases those players were disruptive to their team. Deng is not. He's been professional and is only speaking out about this now (the offseason). Sure he might continue to sit on the bench (the Lakers aren't obligated to play him) but he has every right to vent. Even his comments above aren't that bad when you consider the situation he's in.

he can EASILY negotiate a buy-out or shortened deal to go play elsewhere. Speaking publicly while under contract for two more years at that high of a number is a low life move.