GOODBYE LUOL DENG (Deng Bought Out & Stretched, p. 133)

MJST · Retired Number Joined: 06 Jul 2014 Posts: 26309

"Ugh I hate when he plays bad!! If he turns it all around and suddenly starts playing well and benefiting us like I wish he was doing right now, I say we trade him!!"

is quite the motif among Lakers fans. Hate when they are playing bad, hope they turn it around to get rid of those worries, once those worries are gone trade them!!

I'd figure it would make more sense that if Deng turns it around as the season rolls along(like we're expecting) that would be the time to keep him, as he's doing for us what we want him to do and/or are complaining that he isn't doing.

If Deng is averaging anywhere between 10-12 offensively in the starting lineup that's essentially as high as we were expecting on that end.

justsomelakerfan · Franchise Player Joined: 16 Jul 2016 Posts: 10939

ringfinger · Retired Number Joined: 08 Oct 2013 Posts: 29418

MJST · Retired Number Joined: 06 Jul 2014 Posts: 26309

What I mainly need from Deng till his offense comes round and his legs come back after the injury earlier in pre-season is that he play defense adequately. There's been games where he has and other games where he has not.

Ultimately his legs coming back are the main things I am awaiting on and hoping for. Despite the damage Thibs has done to them with all those years of running him into the ground, the best we can hope for or look towards is his legs coming around in late December or Mid-January.

If in all honesty it took for January/February for Deng to come around, I'd prefer he close the last few months of the season playing very good basketball. Particularly if we're making a run to make the playoffs.

I think what Deng should be doing now and what we should be running more for him of, is slashes to the basket. Why? Because Deng for his career would get to the free throw line at least 4 times a game or so.

Deng getting to the basket, slashing to the basket and drawing fouls would help him from the standpoint of that end till his legs came back around and I think that may be ideal. The games he goes to the free throw line consistently are his best games with us this year even if his shot isn't falling.

I think we need to start running some of those plays for him till his legs come back around imo.

fontana3d · Star Player Joined: 22 Mar 2013 Posts: 3794

tox · Franchise Player Joined: 16 Nov 2015 Posts: 17876

KeepItRealOrElse · Retired Number Joined: 11 Oct 2012 Posts: 32767

Dude's got to change the form on his jumper.... he's running with his old form which didn't manifest much arch in his prime - now it's done for that one.
He often missed short/flat in his prime. He is so stiff in the upper body on it, it's more of that than a legs issue imo. Kobe had less legs and could get more arch. Vince Carter gets great arch. Dirk gets great arch. Looking at his shot, his damn upper body is too tight, ball looks heavy coming off.
Athletically he looks much better than those aforementioned players still. Are his legs a part of the issue, yes, but also hate his form.

RI Laker · Star Player Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 7148

I think Mitch offs him once he is allowed to trade him starting December 15. Unfortunately, there is ZERO market for under performing, older player who is playing like trash and is in year one of a 4 year deal. Does Mitch wait to see if he can turn it around? Can he turn it around? Nobody knows

The rumors about Levine are crazy and I do not know where they came from. Lets take off our Laker Homer glasses for a second and think about this rationally. Why would the Wolves give us Levine (a promising young player still on a rookie deal) for a deal involving Dung. Lets assume RUMORS of Thibs wanting Dung are true. OK, I'll play since Thibs has a history with him and he WAS a solid player for him in the past. Why would he give up Levine. If anything, we would have to sweeten the pot to get the deal done instead of the Wolves sweetening the pot. They could EASILY float Levine out to the league and get a very good asset. They do not need to send him to us in order to get the Dung deal done. Again, we may have to add something in order for them to take him off our hands, not vice versa.

I keep on reading about Dung's shot being flat which is true. This is a sign of the natural progression of getting older (and I hate to say being out of shape) when your legs start to go.

Chronicle · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2016 4:56 am Post subject:

RI Laker · Star Player Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 7148

We can do Deng for Pec straight up. If fillers are added, there is absolutely "NO WAY" Levine will be coming our way. We may not even be able to get Jones (as he has recently been getting more minutes than Dunn). Shabazz might be the guy IF Thibs really does want Deng in the first place.

Chronicle · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2016 5:52 am Post subject:

Pek for Deng would mean we have no one to fill the minute void though. That's why the filler is important
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RI Laker · Star Player Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 7148

I agree with you. The question then becomes who would we off to balance the trade? We are not going to be able to off one of our pg's because they already have to many.

lakurluv · Star Player Joined: 17 May 2010 Posts: 2529

Pec is good, but IDK if he'll make a difference on this Lakers Team. I do believe Deng gets traded asap. They have to wait until he can be traded, but it will happen.

The fact that he's not really producing at this present time doesn't really matter much, simply because Tibbs knows what he's capable of. A he knows his system and is a proven vet in his system.

I can truly attest to say that for some players, running a new system can be very difficult. It's a lot easier for newer players, so that's why the young guns on this team excel more.

We need to trade him and it needs to be to minny, and I would say, Shabazz Muhammad, Gorgui Dieng, or Zach LeVine should be at least one of the options we get in return.

Chronicle · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2016 6:33 am Post subject:

Vin · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2016 6:59 am Post subject:

Nevermind.

RI Laker · Star Player Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 7148

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justsomelakerfan · Franchise Player Joined: 16 Jul 2016 Posts: 10939

I could forgive Deng if he played well during this stretch where everyone else is injured and then returned to his old-ass form. Someone else has to step up offensively with DLO/Young out. Ingram looks like he could be a candidate on some nights. But we're paying this guy to step up in moments like these, too.

Lakers wouldn't be getting much back if a Pek salary dump deal opens up. They'd be thin at 3 until Nick Young's back.
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Jim99187 · Franchise Player Joined: 03 Jan 2014 Posts: 22138

Looks like even put Pek is going to be tough. Minny is going to use the medical retirement on him and get our of his contract this year

HumanVictoryCigar · Star Player Joined: 28 Apr 2014 Posts: 7601

we can still sell the idea he's playing good defense and is having trouble adjusting to the system. Maybe we could sucker some boderline contender to give up some assets for him around the trade deadline. I'm sure Wade would vouch for him in Chicago but they don't need him, Minny, it would be amusing if they had Deng and Dieng at PF but even considering the pressure Thibs is starting to feel - seeing the young Lakers playing well and improving while Minny is dragging... I don't know if we could get much youth out of them in a Deng trade or not... not unless they start to get some locker room problems and feel they need a vet to come in there and stabilize things... (crosses fingers)