Deng’s Decision to Come Sooner Rather Than Later

A source close to Bulls forward and restricted free agent Luol Deng has said that the 23-year-old plans to make a decision in the next few days regarding his future with the team.  With all the cap space in the free agent market pretty much swallowed up, it appears that Deng will receive no offer sheet from an NBA club.  Deng is seeking a long-term deal with the Bulls, but may opt for the one-year $4.5 million qualifying offer that would make him an unrestricted free agent next summer.

One has to wonder what the Bulls are waiting for.  Deng had a down year last season, yes, but so did everyone else on the team.  He and other young Chicago players admitted they were distracted by persistent trade rumors going into last season regarding Lakers star Kobe Bryant.  That uncertainty combined with the firing of head coach Scott Skiles would hinder the performance of any 22-year-old.  Deng is already a very productive player, averaging 17 points and 6 rebounds in his “down” year, and still has a lot of upside as far as his potential is concerned.  Pairing him with Derrick Rose could make for a solid foundation for the franchise to build upon.  Pay the man.

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