A year of speculation reached the finish line this week when the Los Angeles Lakers and Luol Deng agreed to a buyout, making the veteran forward a free agent. The Lakers parted with Deng via the NBA’s stretch provision.
By waiting until Sept. 1 to make the move formal, the Lakers committed to paying Deng his entire salary for the 2018-19 season. Meanwhile, the final year of his four-year, $72 million contract will be stretched over the next three summers.
The savviness of the Lakers front office to hold off on making such a move with Deng has put them in position to sign a player to a max contract during 2019 NBA free agency.