NBA: Trying to let go of Luol Deng

I understand why it had to be done.

I understand why Luol Deng, the Chicago Bulls’ two-time All-Star small forward had to be dealt for Andrew Bynum and a host of draft picks that could possibly turn into nothing.

[Related: Cavs send Bynum to Bulls for Deng, picks]

There was no guarantee that Luol Deng would be coming back to re-sign with Chicago at the end of the season. With his contract expiring and several negotiations with the Bulls front office ending with a whole lot of nothing, it was as clear as Carlos Boozer’s noggin how this was going to end. Deng was going to walk away, in search of a suitor willing to give him the riches that he felt he deserved and the Bulls would end up with nothing but a payroll that was too bloated to make any moves for the future.

I got all of that out of a way, because from an objective point of view, this was a shrewd move for the Chicago Bulls to make.

But when has basketball ever been a study in objectivity?
    
For many years, general managers in the Association have handed out million-dollar contracts to players. As long as they put up gaudy averages in the box scores, they were getting a big fat contract. And more often than not, once that contract came, it was usually followed by a plunge in performance, as they no longer had a contract to play for. It’s natural. Once you go from an employee on probation status to regular, you can’t help but take your foot off the wheel and enjoy the perks that come with having the job security. That’s the way it usually goes.
    
Luol Deng was the exact opposite. In 2008, he signed a six-year, $71 million dollar contract a month after the Bulls drafted a young point guard out of Memphis named Derrick Rose, solidifying Chicago's future for years to come. Instead of resting on his laurels as a 23-year-old and enjoying his riches though, Deng transformed himself into an absolutely invaluable piece for the Bulls.

True, in that 08-09 season, Deng appeared in just 49 games, missing an epic Playoffs series against the Boston Celtics. He was considered soft, a cream puff who wouldn't play though injuries. After that though, he averaged nearly 40 minutes per outing, and if he missed games, and he did miss games, including more in the post-season, it was because he was giving his all every single day for Chicago.

And now he won’t. Ever.

There are some trades in the NBA that barely register a blip on the radars of fans, like moving Jerryd Bayless to the Celtics, or to a lesser degree, when Rudy Gay headed to Sacramento. This Luol Deng trade is different. It’s very rare when a player becomes more than a trade commodity with a dollar amount attached to him, and that’s what Deng became for the Chicago Bulls and its fans.

Deng was a leader who busted his butt trying to defend all the elite forwards in the NBA. He was counted on to provide outside scoring and additional playmaking when Rose would (inevitably) go down with an injury. Head coach Tom Thibodeau had such strong feelings and respect for Deng it’s impossible to imagine how he’ll plan for games knowing Deng won't be there giving his all. He was an ambassador for the game both for the Nation of Sudan and Great Britain. He was a well-respected and beloved figure in the locker room.
    
In case you’re wondering, yes, I’m a Chicago Bulls fan. Throughout the past two seasons, I saw Deng carry Chicago when Derrick Rose could not, pushing his body for one more trip down the court versus Lebron James because Thibs needed him to do just that. Not being able to have that leader on the floor moving forward is going to be a difficult pill to slow. Chicago needed to make this move to prepare for a potentially cloudy future, while Rose is still on the mend. Every last bit of me just wishes that it didn’t have to be at the expense of Luol Deng.
    
In the NBA’s age of analytics and hyper-visibility for fans and experts, the numbers and statistics all show that trading Deng was the right move to make. It was the prudent one. The realistic move. But for now, excuse Bulls fans for choosing to focus on who was lost, and not what was gained. - AMD, GMA News