Miami Heat

Wizards, Heat Showed Interest in Deng in Free Agency

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 5:54 p.m. ET

Fansided, Jonathan Fernandez/FanSided via Lake Show Life

According to multiple reports, the Lakers overpaid Luol Deng for his signature in free agency.

The Lakers stunned just about everyone during free agency with the four-year $72 million contract they offered Luol Deng. Fans felt that he had been overpaid immediately after the contract agreement was reported.

This feeling has since been validated by ESPN’s Zach Lowe. According to Lowe, the Washington Wizards were going to offer him roughly $20 million than what he signed for with the Lakers.

The disastrous deals for Timofey Mozgov and Luol Deng will make it hard for the Lakers to fit even one max-level deal signed after 2017, and almost impossible to absorb two. (The Lakers badly overpaid for Deng; Washington had traction with Deng on a three-year deal worth $20 million less overall than L.A. ended up paying, and was stunned to learn of L.A.’s offer, according to several league sources.)

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Deng’s lack of production alone has many Lakers fans calling for him to be traded. This new report will only upset Los Angeles fans even more knowing the team could have saved up to $20 million to get the 12-year veteran.

The way this contract affects the future of the team doesn’t look great either. Lowe also mentioned that the amount Deng signed for is going to make it difficult for the team to pursue free agents, as well as find suitors for Deng.

Another report came out earlier this week detailing the Miami Heat’s interest in Deng.

According to Mark Medina of the OC Register, Deng wanted to stay in Miami, but couldn’t turn down the Lakers mega offer.

Despite hoping to re-sign with the Miami Heat during the 2016 offseason, Deng found something more enticing. The Lakers offered Deng a four-year, $72 million contract, a product of both a rising salary cap and a rebuilding team in desperate need of a few proven veterans. Deng also seemed intrigued with Luke Walton’s innovative system and the promise of a significant role on a young team.

So, Deng called Heat president Pat Riley and Coach Erik Spoelstra to say “this is something I can’t turn down.” Spoelstra agreed: “You have to take that right away.”

This conflicts with fans’ feelings that the Lakers overpaid for Deng when it looked like no other teams were knocking on his door. Maybe they didn’t have to pay $72 million to get him, but with legitimate contenders wanting his services, Los Angeles had to make an offer he could not refuse.

Deng has been experiencing a bit of a resurgence with the Lake Show as of late, but his salary has far exceeded his play. How much is Deng worth in today’s NBA? Let us know in the comments below.