After a season that will be remembered as one of the biggest flops in NBA history, the Lakers have only one obsession: to turn to the summer, to achieve a smashing offseason in order to revive the franchise. That’s good, since no less than 5 million dollars will go into the coffers… thanks to an astonishing player.
In total loss during a season concluded with a pitiful record of 33 wins for 49 losses, the Lakers acted this Monday the last stage of the nightmare by giving each their traditional end-of-season interviews. The year now over, the course is 200% on the off-season, which will have the task of putting the purples and golds back on the right track – a vast project.
To achieve this, and thus treat the 5 Major Emergencies Hovering Above Them, the Lakers will not necessarily have a big financial margin, especially if they do not manage to get rid of Russell Westbrook. But fortunately, good accountant news has fallen recently, and will certainly put a smile on Rob Pelinka’s face.
The Lakers recover $ 5 million via a player
This end of the 2021-22 season marks the end of the payments made to… Luol Deng, no longer seen in the NBA since 2019. The Anglo-Sudanese had then been cut off by the Angelinos, who paid him a tidy sum each year since, without even being in the franchise! Fortunately, the strange situation is finally over:
The Lakers are officially done paying Luol Deng’s contract.
Deng signed with the team in 2016 for four years, $72M and played a total of 57 games. Deng’s contract was then stretched.
He was the fifth-highest paid player on the Lakers’ roster this year. pic.twitter.com/krR2ssVdER
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 11, 2022
The Lakers have officially finished paying Luol Deng’s contract.
Deng signed for 4 years in the summer of 2016 for a total of $72 million, and has only played 57 games. His contract was later stretched.
This year (2021-2022), he was the 5th highest paid player on the Lakers roster.
You read that right: behind LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook and Talen Horton-Tucker, Luol Deng was quietly better paid than all the rest of Frank Vogel’s players, even though he has not played for 4 years. For example, his 5 million touchdowns over the season are as much as DeAndre Jordan, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard combined!
The Angelinos can therefore breathe a good blow and congratulate themselves on this sum which can be used once more, and which there will be much need in view of the dubious financial construction of the roster. Finally, know that the Lakers are not the only ones to see their ordeal come to an end, since the Pacers have also finished paying a certain Monta Ellis, who has not played an official match since… 2017.
Good news for the Lakers, who will finally put Luol Deng’s massive contract fiasco behind them. From now on, it is a question of reinvesting this money wisely!
