10 trades and free-agent signings the Lakers would like a do-over on

Lakers do-over No. 2: Signing Luol Deng, 2016

As just discussed, Timofey Mozgov and Luol Deng are forever linked for signing bloated contracts with the Lakers in the same offseason. Mozgov signed for four years and $64 million, while Luol Deng inked a four-year, $72 million deal. While Mozgov was simply a role player, at least Deng had a track record of high-end play, making two All-Star games with the Chicago Bulls in 2012 and 2013.

Still, he was multiple seasons removed from that success and averaged just 12.3 points per game for the Miami Heat in 2015-16. The Lakers apparently liked how he came in and shot poorly as a starter to replace LeBron James in Miami because they signed him to do the same in replacing Kobe Bryant in LA. Deng proceeded to shoot 38.7 percent from the field and just 30.9 percent from 3 in Los Angeles, appearing in 57 games over two seasons.

The Lakers weren’t able to find a smooth off-ramp to the Luol Deng experience as they did with Mozgov. Deng was benched late in his first season as rookie Brandon Ingram became a starter, and the following year he was effectively made into a cheerleader keeping the bench warm. He battled injuries to his pectoral muscle and wrist, but to what extent wasn’t made clear by the Lakers.

They agreed to a contract buyout with Deng and waived him, then applied for a career-ending injury application for Deng. That was denied, in large part because Deng then signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves and played in 22 games. The rest of his contract was stretched, and all the way through to the 2021-22 season was still on the Lakers’ books.