NBA Rumors: 5 free agency destinations for Luol Deng
By John Buhler
Luol Deng is set to hit NBA free agency this summer after his 12th season in the league. Here are five teams the veteran wing could end up signing with.
Luol Deng has been in the NBA for what seems like forever. After one season with the Duke Blue Devils in the ACC, the native of Sudan declared for the 2004 NBA Draft.
Deng was ultimately selected seventh overall by the Phoenix Suns, but was traded to the Chicago Bulls on draft day for a future 2005 first round pick, which ended up becoming scrappy point guard Nate Robinson.
Deng spent his first nine and a half seasons in the NBA with the Bulls, making two trips to the NBA All-Star Game starring on both Vinny Del Negro and Tom Thibodeau’s Chicago rosters before being traded to the rival Cleveland Cavaliers at the 2014 NBA trade deadline. He would then sign a two-year deal with a 2015-16 player option with the Miami Heat.
Again, Deng will hit free agency, but this time he will do so with a ton of miles on his NBA odometer. While Deng is only 30 years old, he’s been playing in the NBA since he was 19 years old in 2004-05 and has made the Eastern Conference Playoffs six times in 11 seasons. He’ll certainly make his seventh trip to the postseason in 2016 with the Heat this spring.
Deng maybe a bit past his prime as an elite wing in the Association, but can still provide tremendous value as a strong fifth starter outside on the perimeter on a championship caliber team. Here are the five teams that make the most since for Deng to sign with in 2016 NBA free agency.
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