Luol Deng
Age: 31
Height: 6-foot-9
Career stats: 35.3 mpg, 15.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.5 bpg; 45.8/33.4/77.1 shooting splits
2015-16 stats: 32.4 mpg, 12.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.4 bpg; 45.5/34.4/75.5 shooting splits
Strengths:
- Above average defender
- Over 60 games of playoff experience
- Rebounds well for his size and position
Weaknesses:
- Subpar outside shooter
- Has missed extended time due to injury on several occasions the past few years
Why he makes sense for the Warriors:
Deng is an unrestricted free agent and seems unlikely to return to Miami, so the Warriors may have as good a shot at getting Deng as anyone if they have a spot for him. Signing him would likely be contingent on Harrison Barnes leaving to play elsewhere, but he could slot into the starting small forward role well for the Dubs. He would likely take a two or three year deal to lock up, but having both Deng and Andre Iguodala as versatile defending options would lead to a big improvement in the Warriors’ overall team defense. Essentially, Deng is a more consistent version of what Barnes has been for the Warriors and also a better defender, but at age 31, he is trending in the opposite direction.
Why he doesn’t make sense for the Warriors:
If Barnes leaves and the Warriors replace him with a band-aid solution like Deng, who is only declining as a player, they may be looking at a worse overall team two or three years from now, thus shortening their long-term championship window. Also, Deng’s lack of three-point marksmanship might not fit well with Golden State’s style of offense. Deng has no experience playing in the Western Conference, and therefore may be unlikely to seek out a team in the West to join if a more familiar team comes calling in the East.