Lakers News Feed: Salary Cap Ramifications Of Waiving Luol Deng With The Stretch Provision

Trevor Lane
2 Min Read
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers decided to waive veteran forward Luol Deng by utilizing the stretch provision, clearing the way for him to explore continuing his career with another team.

This episode of the LN News Feed breaks down the salary cap ramifications of the move and what it will mean for the team’s pursuit of a second star to pair with LeBron James.

Deng, who signed a four-year deal worth $72 million with the Lakers two years ago, only appeared in one game last season after the team decided to move in a different direction. It was no secret that Los Angeles was hoping to move his contract off of their salary cap but were unable to find a trade that didn’t involve them giving up considerable assets.

Instead, by choosing to waive Deng at this point, the final year remaining on his deal will be stretched out over three seasons, providing the team with more room to pursue free agents next summer.

Additionally, Deng agreed to a buyout in exchange for the ability to become a free agent, giving back about $7.5 million of the over $36 million that he was owed. This will further increase the amount of cap space the team has to use on the free agent market.

In total, the Lakers will have about $38 million available to spend. Waiving Deng also gives the team an open roster spot, though it’s not clear just yet what they plan to do with it.

For Deng, making this move now will give him the ability to sign with another team prior to the start of training camp in the hope that he can revive his career.

To listen to the show just click the player above.

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Trevor Lane is a longtime NBA and Los Angeles Lakers fan who had the good fortune to grow up during the glory days of the Showtime Lakers, when Magic Johnson, Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and the rest ruled the Great Western Forum. He has written about basketball, soccer, fantasy sports, MMA, and even pro wrestling over the course of his career, but the spectacle that is the Lakers is his true passion. He made the leap into podcasting for Lakers Nation and provides voice-over analysis for our YouTube channel. With a who's who of stars gracing the Lakers lineup over the years, including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Pau Gasol, and many others, the Lakers always provide plenty to talk about. When he isn't writing or recording, Trevor can be found spending time with his wife and daughter or on the sidelines for one of the youth teams he coaches. Outside of the Lakers, Trevor is a supporter of the LA Galaxy, US Soccer, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Contact: trevor@mediumlargela.com
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