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Lakers Nation > Blog > Lakers News > Lakers News: Luol Deng Not Angered By Move To Inactive List
Lakers News

Lakers News: Luol Deng Not Angered By Move To Inactive List

Trevor Lane
Published: 03/05/2017
2 Min Read
Lakers Nation Roundtable: What Worries You Most About Team?
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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Two of the Los Angeles Lakers big-money signings last summer, Timofey Mozgov and Luol Deng, are no longer part of head coach Luke Walton’s rotation. Heading into the season, the thought was that Deng and Mozgov would provide the young Lakers with the stability that they needed in order to grow. When plays fell apart, the veterans would provide a steadying presence, like an NBA version of training wheels.

Unfortunately, these training wheels were very expensive. The Lakers committed to four-year deals worth a combined $136 million, which will greatly impact their ability to pursue free agents in the future.

Now, with Los Angeles torpedoing towards another low finish, Deng and Mozgov, who were starters earlier this season, have seen their playing time eliminated. In their recent blowout loss to the Boston Celtics, Deng was left off the active roster completely, despite being healthy. The veteran forward spoke to Mark Medina of the Southern California News Group about Walton’s drastic change:

“I totally understand what we’re doing,” Deng told Southern California News Group. “He wants the guys to be in situations where they learn and play minutes. It’s always about what we’re trying to do. Why am I going to be on the bench if I’m not playing?”

Deng’s professionalism in a difficult situation is part of the reason why the team signed him in the first place. With rookie Brandon Ingram needing a veteran mentor, there are few players in the league better suited to show him the ropes than Deng, who keeps an even keel and works hard regardless of what is going on around him.

Of course, the four-year, $72 million the Lakers gave Deng last summer is still an incredibly high price to pay for veteran mentorship, and the hope is that he will be able to contribute more on the floor in the future.

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TAGGED:Los Angeles Lakers
ByTrevor Lane
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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