The Los Angeles Lakers paid Luol Deng a hefty amount of money to appear in just one game last season. Deng is set to make $18 million next season, but his future with the Lakers is still uncertain.
Although he may never play another game in a Laker uniform, he's interested in getting a shot somewhere else where he's respected.
Deng spoke with Stuart Hess of IOL about how he envisions his future:
“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 I play for people who believe in me.
I’ve taken every opportunity since day one and proven myself, I’m not going to sit here and give you the right answer, I’m going to be honest about it, for me, if the respect and appreciation is not there then I’d rather be elsewhere.”
This is a pretty clear sign that Deng wants to play next season, but he doesn't feel respected by the Lakers. He was exiled by the team last season, and it appears that their relationship is fractured — possibly beyond repair.
Moving Deng to a place that respects him will be tricky for Lakers management. They're on the hook for two more years and $36 million in total. Of course, Deng wants to play, but he's going to get paid whether Los Angeles likes it or not.