Loul Deng

Almost all NBA followers know of the player who doesn’t play yet he gets an annual take home pay of $18 million.  Yep, that insane amount of money for sitting on a couch in front of a huge TV and practically doing anything else except playing basketball.

Entering his second year of inactivity despite being healthy and fit also gets on his nerves that he wants to be some place else where he said his talents and services will be appreciated.  He is understandably upset of the situation.

Loul Deng came into the Lakers on a 4-year, $72 million deal.  The contract is one of league’s worst where gigantic amounts of money were given to players past their primes.  The past season, he only played on the opening game but was benched for the next 81 games.  Clearly, he’s not part of LA’s plans for the future.

Because of the Lakers’ costly mistake, no team would deal with the Lakers unless they part with at least one of their young cores in a package with Deng.  But since the amount due him for the 2018-2019 season was already accounted, the remaining year of his contract can now be stretched up to 2021 thru the stretch provision.  This gives the team some flexibility in their chase for free agent talents next season.

But Deng wants to play, not just receive his pay.  Personally, he doesn’t deserve to be treated this way.  Prior to coming to LA, the now 33-year old was 2-time All-Star, was an All-Rookie selection and an received an All-Defensive selection.  In his prime, he flirted with 20 points and averaged at 30 minutes a game.  As per reports, he is a positive influence inside the locker room but that about it. And he wants to play.

“I want to play.  I want to be a part of something.  But I’m not going to be a part of a place where you don’t believe in me.  I’m not trying to knock down anybody but, but I play for people who believe in me,” says Deng.  For the moment, it looks like hard finding people who still believe in his capabilities.

Meanwhile, it’s never a bad idea to receive $18 a year without breaking a sweat.  Runners-up to worst NBA’s contracts are:

Timofey Mozgov – The LA Lakers paid him $64 million for averaging 6.3 points with Cleveland.  That’s way too much money for 6.3 points per game.

Ian Mahinmi (WAS) – he got the same figures as Mozgov and the Wizards paid him just to sit on the bench.