Luol Deng agreed to a four-year, $72 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday morning. Its a smart gamble that gives the Lakers legitimate talent in a position of need, but also fogs up their long-term cap sheet, and supports the notion that theyre content sitting out next summers free agency bonanza.According to The Verticals Shams Charania, Deng talked to a few other teams before ultimately taking an exorbitant amount of guaranteed money from a team that cant promise anything else.Deng had significant discussions with several teams, including the Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz, before committing to the Lakers, sources saidFor the Lakers, Deng will provide versatility and an ability to shoot, slash and make plays. Deng has a solid reputation on and off the court, serving as a steady professional.One of the most illustrious franchises in NBA history, the Lakers are currently unable to secure pitch meetings with top-tier free agents. Signing Tier B or C options is also difficult without paying through the nose. Deng is 31 years old and may be embarking on the least productive four-year stretch of his career.But that doesnt mean this acquisition is without merit. For a team thats packed with impressionable young talent, Deng provides a priceless splash of veteran leadership. Hes a smart, unselfish professional who works hard on both ends and can fill multiple roles.Deng Fits the BillWith $72 million locked into his bank account, theres no need for Deng to feel antsy about another pay day anytime soon. He wont go out of his way to steal shots and touches from DAngelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson or Brandon Ingram. Ideally, hell guide and support them in ways, both on and off the court, that are beneficial to the Lakers long-term growth. Building a profitable culture is important, and surrounding young players with older ones who "do things the right way" is a good way to do it.On the court, Dengs fit makes perfect sense. Even with Ingram onboard, the Lakers still need a stopper who can stick to top-flight wing scorers and also slide up a spot to defend larger power forwards. Ingram may be that guy someday, but Los Angeles doesnt want him to take an unnecessary pounding in the first few years of his career.Thats where Deng comes in. Hes not the perimeter defender he used to be31,000-plus minutes on the odometer will do thatbut hes a massive upgrade over Kobe Bryant and Anthony Brown.If healthy, Deng and Timofey Mozgovthe other declining free agent Los Angeles signed to a four-year deal this weekcan help a defense that allowed more points per possession than everybody else last season. But at this stage in his career, Deng is also better suited playing up from his natural position. Thats perfectly fine until you look at Julius Randle and wonder how Deng fits beside him.Deng shot 48.4 percent from the floor after the All-Star break last season, when he replaced Chris Bosh as Miami's starting power forward. (He shot 43.1 percent before the break). His usage percentage and minutes spiked, too, and Deng responded with his best basketball as a member of the Heat.We dont yet know what Los Angeles' starting lineup, but assuming its eventually Russell, Clarkson, Ingram, Randle and Mozgov, Deng can come off the bench for Randle and give everybody else a little bit of breathing room. Hes a decent three-point shooter (34.8 percent on catch-and-shoot attempts last year, per SportVU) who couldnt miss in the playoffs.Deng Does the DetailsDeng is also a pretty good cutter who knows how to read and react to what the defense is doing, particularly when guarded by a larger player:Last season, a third of Dengs shots came in the restricted area, where he shot an impressive 67.2 percent. Smart off-ball cuts to the rim helped, but hes also effective in transitionboth qualities that are sure to make Luke Walton smile.As a small-ball four, Deng would confuse defenses as a screener for Heat point guard Goran Dragic. That skill can translate to Russell and Clarkson, where teams wont know whether to switch, trap or hedge the pick-and-roll. Against smaller defenders in the post, hes still agile enough to slip the screen (which means he pretends to set a pick before diving towards the rim) and force hurried rotations.These are some skills hell bring in the first couple years of the deal, but the back half is brutal, especially if Ingram breaks out and becomes a star sooner than later. At that price tag, playing Deng fewer than 25 minutes per game doesnt make a whole ton of sense.Last season, he only shot 28.8 percent behind the three-point line when he didnt have a day of rest in between games, per NBA.com. Its a 16-game sample sizeand he made 30.6 percent of his threes with two days of rest (in a 10-game sample size)so there may be nothing to this number. But Dengs wear and tear is real, and the Lakers put themselves at risk locking into him for as long as they did.An adult presence is helpful, but we know that off-court quality isnt necessarily the top priority for the Lakers, considering they first targeted 27-year-old Kent Bazemore before he took less money to stay with the Atlanta Hawks.The CatchBut instead of hunting less-expensive, still-improving players in their prime or nearing it, the Lakers tied themselves to a declining veteran who offers a bit more certainty. Compare his deal to others that have signed and the Lakers don't look like the best negotiators in the world.Jared Dudley is not a two-time All-Star, like Deng, but both are low-maintenance veterans with similar skill sets, at a similar age. Dudley signed with the Phoenix Suns for $30 million over three years. Solomon Hill isnt as smooth or efficient as Deng, but hes six years younger, with superior foot speed on the perimeter. Hill signed with the New Orleans Pelicans for $48 million over four years.The Lakers have a little over $20 million worth of cap space left (not including the room exception); dollars obviously dont matter this year, but (lockout pending) they will next summer.If Ingram, Russell, Clarkson, Randle and Larry Nance Jr. all make sizable leaps over the next couple years, maybe they already have a perennial All-Star (or two) on their roster, and don't need to rely on free agency to get one. Maybe they bide their time now, wait out LeBron James and the Golden State Warriors, and strike down the line' Maybe, in a strange way, they're finally playing the long game' The playoffs aren't on the horizon this season, but they can still add another max contract to the books next July and conceivably become a scrappy six, seven or eight seed with room to grow.Deng cost a ton, and a two or three-year deal would've been much easier to swallow. But if that's the price it costs to add a potential culture-changing presence, the Lakers won't regret this move.
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