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NBA Trade Rumors: Will Los Angeles Lakers Part Way With A Struggling Luol Deng For Rockets Veterans Trevor Ariza And Corey Brewer?

By Shubham Ghosh | Update Date: Nov 14, 2016 07:10 AM EST

He was one of the most expensive players the Los Angeles Lakers had signed this season for a period of four years but Luol Deng has been struggling to meet the expectations of his young team.

The 31-year-old small forward averages less than 6 points this season, much low than the career average of 15.4. The last three games saw the man averaging just 1.3 points. He is not up to the mark in scoring, hence raising questions over the $72 million deal that he has signed with the Lakers. Recently, rumors did the rounds that the Lakers could trade Deng and youngster Julius Randle for Orlando Magic's Jeff Green and Serge Ibaca.

The Lakers went down to the low-ranked Minnesota Timberwolves 99-125 on Sunday (Nov 13) in an away game. They now have six wins and five losses and rank eighth in the Western Conference table.

According to The Orange County Register, the Lakers brought in Deng more to mentor the team full of youngsters like D'Angelo Russell. Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle and others than to improve his own figures. But the former Miami Heat player seems to be failing to cope with the Lakers' style of functioning, said Allen James Dinglasen of Headlines and Global News.

He said if the Lakers needed a veteran to guide the young players, they could have gone for someone much inexpensive than Deng. He also gave the example of Houston Rockets' Trevor Ariza, a member of the NBA-winning Lakers team of 2008-09. Ariza's salary is $7.8 million, which is less than half of what Deng receives ($18 million). The report also said that for such a trade, the Rockets might also include Corey Brewer whose salary is even lesser than Ariza. Brewer though is in the starting line with Ariza now, but he could return to the benches once the injured Patrick Beverly returns, said The Dream Shake report.

 The Lakers need to take their decision fast. From the sixth position, the defeat against the Timberwolves pushed them to the eighth position. Luke Walton's men have done well so far in beating good teams like Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks and the young core is shaping up well. And since they have a good chance of qualifying for the playoffs, the Lakers' management might find trading Deng all the more necessary?

Will they ultimately go for the Rockets duo? 

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