Report: ‘Stars now align’ for Luol Deng to land with Phoenix Suns
Jul 11, 2014, 5:43 PM | Updated: 5:43 pm
The biggest free agent domino has fallen.
With LeBron James finally choosing the Cleveland Cavaliers, the rest of the NBA — teams and players — can get on with their own respective decisions, including the Phoenix Suns.
League sources also say stars now align in post-decision world for Luol Deng to land in Phoenix. Several teams still in mix.
— Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) July 11, 2014
The 29-year-old Deng is coming off a season in which he averaged 16 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists splitting time between the Chicago Bulls and Cavaliers.
How much the Suns need a player like Deng or how much they’d be willing to invest, especially since they’ve agreed to a three-year deal with small forward P.J. Tucker, is a question that has yet to be answered. The team does have plenty of cap space, and there’s little doubt the former Duke Blue Devil would be a useful addition to a team looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
Originally selected by the Suns with the seventh pick in the 2004 Draft only to be dealt to Chicago on draft night, Deng has been a solid player throughout his career and been an All-Star selection twice (2012, 2013).
For his career, Deng has averaged 16 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and one steal per game. The 6-foot-8, 220-pound wing is known to be a good defender.
