Luol Deng ready to defy trainer by fulfilling national duty

[fleet]

http://blogs.dailyherald.com/node/1610

Is international basketball ruining Deng's health?
Posted by Mike Mcgraw on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 05:22

One subplot to Luol Deng's possible stress fracture in his right tibia is how surgery would effect his ability to play for Great Britain in the European championships this summer. Deng spent the past two summers helping his adopted country qualify for a rare berth in the event.

It's been a great story. When he was very young, Deng's family left its native Sudan to escape a civil war. A few years later, his family was granted asylum in England and moved to London from Alexandria, Egypt.

Even though he attended high school in the United States, Deng still considers London his hometown. He's often said he'd like to repay that country's generosity toward his family by helping give Great Britain a competitive basketball team for the first time in history. The timing couldn't be better with England about to host the 2012 Olympics.

But if the stress fracture becomes a season-ending injury, it's possible Deng's international basketball experience is part of the problem.

Consider that during the 2006-07 season, Deng played in all 82 games, averaging 18.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and shooting 51.7 percent from the field. During the playoffs that year, he increased his numbers to 22.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and .524 shooting, leading the Bulls to figure he was a future all-star.

The following summer, he joined the British national team for European championship qualifying for the first time.

Deng was sidelined last season with back and Achilles injuries, slumping slightly to 17.0
points, 6.3 boards and a .479 field-goal percentage. When he was asked whether the pressure of not signing a contract extension contributed to his performance that season, Deng pointed to the injuries.

If the stress fracture knocks him out of this season, Deng will have played in just 49 games. Even if he does come back, there won't be much time to improve his stat line, which dropped to 14.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and .448 shooting.

The European championships in Poland are the reward for Deng's work the past two summers. Great Britain is in a pool with Slovenia, Spain and Serbia, and scheduled to play three games in Warsaw on September 7, 8 and 9.

Taking England basketball this far is an impressive achievement. But if Deng's play during the NBA season is suffering because of his free-lance job, he might have to consider staying home and trying to get stronger this summer.

[Jo Jo English]

So just to make sure, you consider yourself more part of a company than more American (or whatever country you hail from)?

I understand the desire to play for a home country out of pride, truly I do. However, when you accept millions upon millions of dollars from an NBA franchise you need to be responsible enough to do everything in your power to be healthy enough to honor the contract you signed.

If a player is healthy I see nearly nothing wrong with them wanting (or reluctantly agreeing) to participate in national games. Now, if that player is battling any sort of injury, and is currently under contract with any sort of professional team, then that player should be loyal to the contract. It may not be a popular opinion, but it is the way I feel.

[Rerisen]

This is where Ben Gordon's greed helps us. He would never play for anyone that didn't give him 70 million dollars first.

[bullzman23]

This is where Ben Gordon's greed helps us. He would never play for anyone that didn't give him 70 million dollars first.

It is kinda funny isn't it? During this summer, Gordon was straight up Satan himself for a month or so, with Deng being the saint. Now things have reversed. If you thought it was bad now, just wait and see how the board is about to turn on Mr. Deng.

[DanTown8587]

Dan you make a good point, but he's just playing basketball.

True, but he is the face of basketball for an entire nation where basketball was on the brink of extinction. I understand WHY he plays for them every year.

[Mapelgleaf]

I want to clarify my point-- b/c I do understand the other side of this-- but my point has nothing to do w/ the Chicago Bulls. It has everything to do with Luol Deng. You need to have pride in whatever you do, and the fact that he doesn't (seemingly) care about the piss poor job he did with us after signing that huge contract raises red flags about Luol Deng the man.... and personal pride is just as great (maybe greater) than national pride.

The fact that he's willing to put a big risk on his health by playing says to me that his commitments are followed through and that reflects poorly on him/

[DanTown8587]

I want to say what I mean: Luol has played through most if not all playable injuries, INCLUDING THE STRESS FRACTURE. He played the first half of the Houston game and has tried to run with it and it isn't working. Deng isn't healthy enough to play right now. So him sitting now is a moot point. What can Deng to do to rectify this?

He has the surgery to avoid the long term consequence: "only doing it to play for England"
Waits two weeks to play: "unwilling to play through injuries for the Bulls so he can play with GB"
Plays through injury: "god Deng sucks, he is always hurt and is taking minutes away from Salmons"

I think the "Deng has no pride for the Bulls" is just flat out wrong.

[SportsWorld]

Ha. Maybe a trade can be worked out. Let his physical limitations be someone elses problem .

I don't think it's a matter of "Please trade him Pax!" anymore. It's more "Please someone take him!!!" now.

[bullzman23]

I want to say what I mean: Luol has played through most if not all playable injuries, INCLUDING THE STRESS FRACTURE. He played the first half of the Houston game and has tried to run with it and it isn't working. Deng isn't healthy enough to play right now. So him sitting now is a moot point. What can Deng to do to rectify this?

He has the surgery to avoid the long term consequence: "only doing it to play for England"
Waits two weeks to play: "unwilling to play through injuries for the Bulls so he can play with GB"
Plays through injury: "god Deng sucks, he is always hurt and is taking minutes away from Salmons"

I think the "Deng has no pride for the Bulls" is just flat out wrong.

Everything you're saying might be true, but to me the bottom line is that we aren't getting any results from him. His improvements have always been minimal and more of a result of increased PT/role than it has been of an improvement of his game. He wants to play through injuries, great. He wants to play for GB, great. But if he isn't going to play well, and he isn't going to improve upon his weaknesses, then I don't see how we can afford to give him such a huge role on this team.

[Beryl 96]

I don't support Deng in many cases, but this is one that I do, and strongly. Somebody mentioned that his 'duty' is to his employer which just gave him his big contract. Thats invalid, if there is any duty in this scenario, it definatly falls with playing for the national team, because that has to do with representing your country, not representing some stingy corporation.

In addition to the whole 71 million thing, didn't Britain have to pay more money last summer just to get him insured, if so that pretty negates any validity to the whole 'bulls just paid him, so we own him' perspective.

[rose2jfat]

not representing some stingy corporation.

I wish I had a stingy corporation willing to pay me $71 mil over 6 years.

didn't Britain have to pay more money last summer just to get him insured, if so that pretty negates any validity to the whole 'bulls just paid him, so we own him' perspective.

Right. The half a million dollar per year (per summer?) in insurance premiums that GB will pony up surely puts them on equal footing with an organization that's dishing out close to $12 mil annually over 6 years.

[bullzman23]

I don't agree. This isn't corporate America. Deng doesn't have some crummy job that he hates. He's playing basketball. The Bulls went out of their way to make Deng feel good this summer. They paid him exactly what he wanted, and Reinsdorf personally made sure the deal got done. He didn't do that with Gordon. Deng has no reason to treat the Bulls badly. If he isn't going to play spirited basketball for Reinsdorf and Paxson, then he should at least feel like he has a duty to play well for himself and his teammates.

The way he pouted last season, the disinterest he's shown this season, and rumors of him being jealous of Rose have left a bitter taste in my mouth in regards to Deng. He's a good player and can really help this team. He needs to get it together and find a way to positively help this team.

[Doofer]

that being the case, would have been fair for Luol to let the Bulls know they were second fiddle during contract negotiations. That being the case. Every time he cashes his check he pretty much defrauds robs them when he deliberately puts his health at risk in the summer playing on injury.

[Beryl 96]

Thought the insurance premiums were a bit more than they are, though it doesn't sound like much because we're thinking about the NBA, British basketball isn't quite as well to do fiscally, in either case, this was merely an additional backup point I mentioned.

And so what if you lack values and are more than willing to forsake your country for some slices of cotton. This isn't some kind of recent development, Bulls should've guessed that maybe Deng would have a strong urge to play for his country, I mean its not like he didn't talk about how much he wanted to do it all the time.

[TheStig]

Nice to know we are his #1 priority

[kyrv]

So just to make sure, you consider yourself more part of a company than more American (or whatever country you hail from)?

I understand the desire to play for a home country out of pride, truly I do. However, when you accept millions upon millions of dollars from an NBA franchise you need to be responsible enough to do everything in your power to be healthy enough to honor the contract you signed.

If a player is healthy I see nearly nothing wrong with them wanting (or reluctantly agreeing) to participate in national games. Now, if that player is battling any sort of injury, and is currently under contract with any sort of professional team, then that player should be loyal to the contract. It may not be a popular opinion, but it is the way I feel.

Bingo, you have won this thread. This isn't some opportunity that just popped up that is tempting. He didn't tell the Bulls, no, 72 million is too much, or the years are too long, my first duty is to GB.

And the injury concerns you have are shared by the NBA, I know the Spurs were not happy with pressure on their injured players to play internationally.

This stuff is going to make Deng enemy number I think, passing Tyrus and Ben. I will admit, I haven't known what to make of him. He's very hard to defend right now. Coupled with Fish's mention, which I agree with, that Deng has been involved in some behind the scenes stuff, I think for it truly to be Rose's team, perhaps both Kirk and Deng need to go.

[HINrichPolice]

If Deng really wants to play for GB this summer, I say that he forfeits part of his contract to do so. He has obligations towards the Bulls.

I wonder if there's anything in the CBA that would protect the Bulls from Deng deliberately playing against the team's wishes in regards to his health concerns.

[rose2jfat]

British basketball isn't quite as well to do fiscally

You make an interesting point. Apparently Deng's insurance premiums are nearly half of GB basketball's budget. Perhaps if Deng was truly loyal to his nation, he would forsake a portion of his ill-gotten gains resulting from his association with a stingy corporation out to do evil so that his nation wouldn't have to pay out-of-pocket to cover his massively overpriced contract.

I mean, hey, country is more important to him than money, right?

And so what if you lack values and are more than willing to forsake your country for some slices of cotton.

Way to divert the argument. Make it about stingy corporations and people who are immoral and have twisted values. It's a good thing you're here to tell us all what's right and moral.

Sorry, but my values tell me honor to my commitments, especially when I sign a 6-year contract that guarantees me financial security for life. If I want to have the flexibility to do whatever I want after the season is over (like, for instance, riding motorcycles without a helmet or playing non-NBA basketball without regard to my health), then maybe I don't sign a long-term deal that obligates me to a club. Oh, silly me, I bet it's immoral not to sign long-term, guaranteed contracts, right?

Of course, if the Bulls try to stand in his way, Deng could always retire and give up his big money. Then he could concentrate full time on helping his country win some basketball games.

[Tommy Udo 6]

Deng's family left Sudan & went to live in Egypt. From there, they applied for asylum in England, which was granted. Deng was schooled in England (where he was known as Michael to classmates).

Playing for GB makes him a star in his country & obviously makes him feel good for whatever reasons. The last 2 seasons it has contributed to physical breakdowns - which will not stop because he's not planning to stop playing for GB until after the 2012 Olympics. That's a year before his contract with the Bulls ends.

If you were another team, would you trade for a guy with a $62 million contract who is breaking down physically but who has other priorities than your team?? Deng seems willing to play through pain for GB but does not seem to have the same intensity toward pain when it comes to an NBA team.

As for Gordon, Deng has been heavily recruiting him to play for GB - but Ben has declined since he has not had his big NBA contract yet. Gordon is eligible because he was born in London

[step]

I wonder if there's anything in the CBA that would protect the Bulls from Deng deliberately playing against the team's wishes in regards to his health concerns.

Negative.

would have been fair for Luol to let the Bulls know they were second fiddle during contract negotiations.

He made the deadline to signing his contract just days before he was to go overseas and play, it's not like the team didn't know that this was part of his plans from the get go.