Eight years after his Miami Heat exit, former star Luol Deng has offered insight into why he left to join the LA Lakers.
Deng, who retired in 2019, after playing in the NBA for 15 years, was known for his no-nonsense big-man style. Shaquille O’Neill recently explained how this toughness is rare in the NBA now.
The Sudanese-born forward was selected as an All-Star reserve in back-to-back seasons in 2012 and 2013 while with the Chicago Bulls.
However, when he joined the Miami Heat in 2014, he began playing his best basketball. Deng finished the season averaging 14 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
It would be the 2015/16 season that would see Deng thrive as he helped the Heat finish as the third seed in the Eastern Conference with a 48–34 record.
He would go on to play a pivotal part in the Heat’s playoff run where they were finally defeated by the Charlotte Hornets in the Conference semi-finals.
Despite enjoying his basketball with the Heat and openly wanting to stay, Deng admitted the one reason he was forced to leave.
Deng moved to the LA Lakers in 2016 after impressive performances in his previous season with the Heat.
The Lakers signed Deng in a bid to remain competitive after the retirement of the now late, great Kobe Bryant.
Deng signed a four-year $72 million contract with the Lakers and explained why he left the Heat.
Speaking on the ‘Knuckleheads Podcast’, Deng said: “The Heat gave me an opportunity, I had one of my best playoffs, I was playing so well. I remember that I wanted to stay in Miami but Pat Riley kept it real and said ‘I can’t pay you that much money’, for me that was so real and I thought I might never get this opportunity again.”
Despite his mega-money move to the Lakers Deng found his playing time limited due to the emergence of rookie Brandon Ingram.
Ingram is currently being heavily linked with a Lakers return having spent the last five seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Deng explained how despite the money he fell out of love with the game, saying: “I wanted to make it happen so I took the chance and took the money. What their plan was was not what I was told and that changed how I looked at the league and my love for the game. I was getting all this money but it didn’t feel right.”
Ultimately after just two seasons, Deng would be moved on to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
It was a bit of a mystery as to why, despite getting a huge financial package, things didn’t work out for Deng at the Lakers.
His time at the Heat was much more fruitful and perhaps this is a sign that money isn’t everything.
Deng openly admitted that he fell out of love with basketball after joining the Lakers and his stats reflect that.
| Luol Deng | Miami Heat | LA Lakers |
| Points | 14 | 7.6 |
| Rebounds | 5.2 | 5.3 |
| Assists | 1.9 | 1.3 |
Deng would end his career by signing a one-day contract with the Bulls to retire with the team. A fitting touch for a character of the game.
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