Los Angeles Lakers: 3 things fans can be thankful for this Thanksgiving
By Jason Elbaum
2. Luol Deng‘s contract situation is definitely going to be handled before this year’s trade deadline
Arguably the worst signing in franchise history, Luol Deng agreed to a four-year, $72 million deal with the Lakers that ends when Deng is 34 years old. Last season he played in just 56 games and averaged a career-low 7.6 points per game. This season he has appeared in just one game and played 13 minutes.
Former general manager Mitch Kupchak left this mess of a contract situation to Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka, but the duo is determined to find a resolution. It’s clear that Deng has fallen out of favor with coach Luke Walton who would much rather see what he has in his young players than yield minutes to the predictable Deng.
The dilemma facing the Lakers front office now is whether they want to buy out the rest of Deng’s contract and make him a free agent, or try to convince another team to take on his contract via trade. However, a team would likely only be willing to take on the contract if the Lakers included a young asset such as Julius Randle or Jordan Clarkson.
With rumors of a buyout or trade already being discussed, Lakers fans can feel optimistic that the team will finally lift the final weight of the Kupchak era off their shoulders. Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka will consider all of their options before making a decision, but they’ll be feeling thankful for getting Deng off the books when the time comes.