The sad tale of Luol Deng

It would be better all round if the club agreed terms with Deng to release him, enabling other teams to bid for his skills. Some people would love to have his problem given the eye watering salary he's on but I doubt it's how he'd want the next couple of years to pan out.

He was at the playoff finals. What happened with his relationship with gb? I hope it works out for him and shame he is being used as a pawn in someone's game.

I agree Hersey that it’s a real shame to end this way. He could be contributing somewhere or even playing in some big games in Euroleague if he fancied a different experience.

I also agree about the tumble weed NBA board. Surely we’re at the point where one forum is all that’s needed and the NBA bit can be a thread just like the NBL one? Gotta be a better idea surely.

Well apart from the long running feud angle, the fact that there's only 1 game every three days atm surely excuses a certainly lack of spontaneity in the NBA side of the board this month?

Meanwhile, Luol. It's tricky for mere mortals to comprehend how making soooo much money for being asked to sit on the sidelines is a problem. But it is to those whose life is defined by competitiveness. I assume it is the same distress that all sportsmen and women apparently feel when having to retire at 35,40, whatever.

"My Id has been defined by my playing sport for the past 20,30 years: Who am I without it?" and other existential crises.

It is hard for us not to say - "pocket the loot, plan for the future, enjoy the ride". Some of us have had to deal with rejection/redundancy without the soft landing of a multi-million dollar payout.

Having said that, I don't think Luol is screaming 'woe is me'. But neither should anyone advise him to give up $20 mil or so just to play ball... imo he's a smart operator: Take the money, spend the time working out your next move, (more Sudanese charity perhaps)and live life without regret.

There's always the pickup game down the park if it means so much.

But I do agree with the above comments re: a waste of talent, a waste of experience, a waste of opportunity. Welcome to the USA.

At the end of the day I would imagine almost every single GB basketball player has a sadder tale than Deng they could describe at some stage.

And would all swap places

Can he? I thought no one wanted to pay his insurance therefore he couldn't play?

I don't think it's a case of not wanting to pay for his insurance but actually having the money to pay for his insurance. How do other national teams pay for their NBA players to be insured? 

Things may have changed in the last six years - the NBA have done a good job of ruining international basketball - but when Deng played for GB it wasn't simply a case that we had to pay his insurance. The NBA covered the insurance for all international players except a few (injury-hit) exceptions on a list. Deng was on the list due to his wrist injury, so GB had to pay it - that's why he played in very few warm-up games. No matter than Bulls worked him like a dog, regularly leaving him on the court in garbage time, and that's ignoring the (non) meningitis farce.

I completely get the "ah, he'll live, he's getting rich" idea, I just think it is a terrible waste. He hasn't kicked up a stink publically (I could only find that one interview), he could've kicked up a stink and got told to clear off (on full pay) put he's behaved like a true pro. He comes out of this sorry mess a lot better than Lakers.

What sort of figure is the insurance?
Wouid certainly attract a better crowd if he played - wouid that cover the costs of insurance?

Do other sports have the same sort of thing? I can't imagine a small country from Africa paying the insurance of a soccer player if they played for say Madrid or Barcelona?

Is there no end to your talents!!

Love the blog - and agree that seeing Curry in full flow is what makes the game of basketball a joy.
As per ATH: "you may say 'Ha! Lucky!' the first ten time he drops shots like that, but eventually you have to admit he's probably quite good at it".

Agree, they will drop one game - in G2 it looked like they were having too much fun not to get a little bit complacent - and then G5 at home for the crown.
Again.