Lakers Rumors: Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer draw remarkable comparisons

The latest Lakers rumors surround the glaring similarities between former Lakers forward Carlos Boozer and newly-acquired Luol Deng.

Los Angeles is gearing up for the exciting part of a rebuild, and they’ll have veteran small forward Luol Deng along for the ride.

After playing last season in Miami with the Heat, Deng signed with the Lakers in the off-season on terms of four years and $72 million.

Given that the Lakers were in desperate need of a more dependable veteran presence in the absence of Kobe Bryant, Deng fit the bill of what they wanted and the team made it happen.

Now the question becomes whether or not the decision to bring Deng to the team will leave the same awkward scars that the addition of Carlos Boozer provided not too long ago.

In Byron Scott‘s first season as head coach of the Lakers, Boozer joined Los Angeles in an effort by the front office to do the job of leading the younger players.

That plan didn’t go at all according to how most of the front office thought it would — but bygones are bygones, right?

A recent article published by Lakers Nation illustrates the incredible similarities between Deng and Boozer.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

"In his one season with the Lakers, Boozer’s salary was $16.8 million, very close to what Deng will be paid (although in Boozer’s case, his former team was required to pay most of that cost). Like Deng, Boozer was brought in to mentor younger players and to provide a calm, stabilizing influence in the locker room."

Financially speaking, the thing that stands out about both small forwards is that the Lakers were insistent on bringing them aboard despite knowing that they were getting players well past the honey moon phase of their respective careers.

The Lakers went 27-55 during their only season with Boozer on-board, and are expected to land at about the same mark in the upcoming season.

According to an article from ESPN, Los Angeles is projected to be the worst team in the Western Conference, with plenty of room to grow and young talent to groom.

Part of the problem with Boozer’s time in Los Angeles probably had a lot to do with Byron Scott, as his coaching style continued causing major problems with the younger players last season.

Now that the coaching issues are hopefully behind them, the Lakers don’t appear afraid to put their hope in what Deng brings to the table.

Deng has spent time with both the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers outside of his tenure with the Miami Heat, and will have recent playoff experience under his belt that the team thinks can be useful in fully developing the young core they have in place.

At the root of it all, the change that will be coming full circle with Luke Walton gives the Lakers plenty of reasons to gear up for a productive run with Deng right in the thick of things.

Next: Jordan Clarkson Has Full Faith In Los Angeles

Deng brings averages of 12.3 points and 1.9 assists per game to Los Angeles with him.