Since Magic Johnson hopped in the driver seat for the Los Angles Lakers office, things have been looking good. He was able to bring LeBron James to the city, which is an enormous part of setting one of the most storied teams in all of sports up for continued greatness. Having one super-star isn't enough though, as we have witnessed the growth of the super team in the NBA. What was once already a very difficult battle against the Golden State Warriors has turned into an outright impossible contest if their roster remains healthy. With the addition of DeMarcus Cousins, the Warriors have transformed into the modern-day Monstars.
As reported by ESPN, Luol Deng has just agreed to a contract buyout with the Los Angeles Lakers. The move helped clear $38 million in salary cap space for the 2019 free agency. Deng's buyout puts him in a give-back scenario, placing $7.5 million back into the Lakers' pocket. With the increased salary cap, the Lakers can offer any superstar a max contract next year, placing a gigantic paycheck in the lap of any athlete that wants to squad up with LeBron James, Brandon Ingram, Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, Lonzo Ball, and Kyle Kuzma. Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Jimmy Butler are all players the will be available next year in free agency.