When the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Luol Deng from the Chicago Bulls, they were hoping he was the final piece to the playoff puzzle. General manager of the moment Chris Grant said he hoped Deng would remain with the team for the long-term instead of just being a season rental. However, the losses continue to mount for the Cavaliers and with changes being made in the front office, could Deng be gone by trade deadline?
According to Sam Amico of FOX Sports, the Cleveland Cavaliers are exploring potential deals regarding Deng before the deadline. New general manager David Griffin is interested in getting some depth on the team. He has already told Dion Waiters that he will likely not be sent packing before the deadline, remaining committed to the pairing with star Kyrie Irving. With almost no other potential trade pieces, Deng is the next best option to get quality in return.
There are certainly teams that are interested. Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders reports the Washington Wizards are interested in how much Deng would cost them. The team plans on being very active before the deadline. They have taken interest in players like Greg Monroe and Beno Udrih. Now it appears Deng might be their top target.
Kennedy reports that the Wizards like Deng's resume considering the forward is a two-time All-Star. He has been in the league awhile and has great leadership to bring to a young squad. He could pair up with John Wall. Deng would be a big upgrade from someone like Trevor Ariza. The Wizards do not expect Ariza to return to the team next season which would free up space to sign Deng to a long-term deal if the trade were to be made.
It is already being reported that Deng has no intentions of re-signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers if he remains on the roster. The forward is not happy with the situation he was put into. The Cleveland Journal reports he has been taking issues with the lack of discipline on the team and is not working well with Irving and Waiters who are viewed as long-term assets.
Deng is looking to get to the postseason. If that goal is reached by a trade then he is open to it. The Wizards are looking for an impact player and he could be it.