The Cleveland Cavaliers made a big move last week regarding their short-term success. The team traded away troublesome center Andrew Bynum in favor of two-time All-Star Luol Deng. The trade could help the team break their current playoff drought that has been going on since the departure of LeBron James. However, there are certainly crucial long-term decisions that will need to be made this offseason and the biggest could circulate around James and Deng.
Free agency could get tricky for the Cavaliers. Deng will be an unrestricted free agent in the upcoming offseason. The Cavaliers have said they intend on offering the forward a long-term contract. However, all of that could hinge on James' future.
Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports is reporting that Cavaliers may hold out on offering Deng a new deal as they gauge the interest James returning to Cleveland. The reigning NBA MVP will also become a free agent this offseason and the Cavaliers are hopeful they may be able to convince him to return. James can opt out of his current contract with the Miami Heat and Cleveland has every intention of pursuing him if that happens. Deng certainly understands if that were to happen.
"He's a great player, why wouldn't you look at him?" Deng said, via Yahoo Sports. "If he wants to come back home, that's great for him and great for this organization. He's a great player. Why not? I'm all right with that. I'm here to do what I can do and be Luol Deng. I don't really worry about it. I don't have the mindset that I can control what everyone else thinks. I just do what I can do and try to be the best at what I do."
Deng told Spears that he is very interested in remaining with Cleveland for the long-term and would love to sit down during the season to discuss a new contract. However, if the team wants to wait then he is perfectly happy doing so.
"We're bringing him here and we'd like to keep him here long term," General Manager Chris Grant said, via the Cleveland News-Herald. "He's 28 years old. We see him as part of our core and our youth moving forward. We'll get through the season and get into those conversations at the appropriate time."
James has given no indication of what his upcoming free agency plans include. He has not said anything about testing the market, remaining focused on the current season. Deng on the other hand has attempted to get paid more for two seasons now. His contract negotiations with the Bulls went nowhere, resulting in a trade. Deng told reporters during his introductory press conference that he never requested a salary of $15 million per season. Instead, the Bulls offered a three-year, $30 million take-it-or-leave-it deal.
Could a team of Deng and Kyrie Irving be enough to sway James back to his hometown? That certainly remains to be seen.
