Are the Los Angeles Lakers feeling strong pangs of buyer’s remorse after signing Timofey Mozgov to a four-year, $64 million deal over the summer? Do they regret giving Luol Deng four years and $72 million?
The short answer: Maybe.
The longer answer: Most probably.
From ESPN.com’s Ramona Shelburne:
As the trade deadline approaches, we’ll hear more about the possibility of moving starting shooting guard Nick Young and super-sub Louis Williams. Of course, the Lakers will listen to any and all offers for Mozgov and Deng, though they shouldn’t expect to hear any unless they are willing to package them with one of their younger players such as Ivica Zubac, Larry Nance Jr. or one of the three former lottery picks.
As Shelburne notes, there is no rush to trade either now, because the Lakers will be able to carve out max cap room over the summer even with both of them on the books. Dumping one in exchange for expiring contracts would put them on the verge of two such slots.
But, again as Shelburne notes, things will get hairy as Julius Randle (this summer) and D’Angelo Russell (next summer) become extension-eligible. Hell, when Ingram is extension-eligible in 2019, both Deng and Mozgov will have one year left on their deals, combining for more than $35.5 million of the Lakers’ cap. That’s not ideal, particularly when both will be on the wrong side of 33.
It’ll be tough to move either of them at this point. Mozgov is likely untradeable, even if the Lakers attach a prospect pot-sweetener. Deng still holds some value as a stretch 4, especially after his quasi-renaissance last year with the Miami Heat. But the Lakers would have to find the perfect situation–a team willing to give something up for him without including any long-term contracts in return (sup, Kangz?).
More likely than not, both Deng and Mozgov will finish the season as members of the Lakers. And while it might get easier to move them over the summer, when teams have more flexibility, there’s a chance these deals remain hard to move, if untradeable, for a while.
