Luol Deng

The Lakers have coveted Deng for almost a decade, with fluid trade rumors in 2007. Deng brings a strong veteran presence to lead the young core, and acts as the mold for fellow Duke Blue Devil, Brandon Ingram. In the second half of last season, Deng had a resurgence playing at the PF spot in Chris Bosh's absence. He still plays defense at a high level and can help bring out more effort from the rest of the squad. He can additionally guard the best player on the opposing team until another Laker is up to the task. As a high IQ player, Deng will aid in the motion offense Luke plans to install, and provides the necessary spacing while shooting 35% from long-distance last season. It will be interesting to see how he holds up throughout the life of the contract as he turns 31 shortly after the season starts and has already played over 31,000 minutes in his 10 year career (mostly accrued during his time with the Bulls under Tom Thibodeau). Even if his production falls off, the leadership and effort he brings on a nightly basis will do wonders for the development of the younger players, who Deng himself is excited for.

Timofey Mozgov

Mozgov's signing was not nearly as well received as Deng's, and he is coming off a down year where he barely got on the floor for the Cavs' championship run. However, Mozgov's game does complement the pieces we have in place. He is a huge defensive presence that provides rim protection, and fits perfectly next to Randle, who needs to show improvement on the defensive end. Mozgov isn't the most mobile big the game has seen but provides great value on the offensive end. He sets strong screens, is a great roll man, can finish strong at the rim, and hits free throws at a 70% clip, eliminating him from the Hack-A-strategy. Like Deng, the biggest question is how he holds up for four years, as he continues to recover from failed knee surgery and subsequently poor rehab. In the event he fully recovers, he could regain his form and prove to be a bargain as the salary cap continues to increase.