Dein erstes Forum » rookie year in Chicago in 2004-05, he is a hard-nosed

With Kobe Bryant gone and the team in desperate need of mature leadership, the Los Angeles Lakers are turning to Luol Deng for help on the court and in the locker room.The Lakers and Deng agreed to a four-year, $72 million contract Saturday, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal cannot be signed until Thursday.The 31-year-old Deng averaged 12.3 points and 6.0 rebounds for Miami last season. The high-energy forward has made the playoffs seven times, with the Bulls and Heat, and commands immediate respect with his work ethic and ability to relate to teammates.Thats exactly what Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak sought to help shape an impressionable roster of intriguing young talent for first-year coach Luke Walton. Those youngsters went wayward last season while Bryant concluded his farewell tour. Deng will now join fellow new signee Timofey Mozgov and holdover Lou Williams to provide veteran stability.The Lakers finished at 17-65, the worst record in the franchises proud history, and were plagued by salacious headlines and speculation over how the players responded to the old-school leadership from Bryant and former coach Byron Scott.And the core of the team -- DAngelo Russell, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. -- got only younger last month when the Lakers drafted 19-year-old Duke forward Brandon Ingram with the second overall pick. Deng is a fellow Blue Devil, and both players are 6-foot-9.Kupchak entered free agency with a huge amount of salary cap room, but little hope of attracting top free agents determined to win championships now. Instead, the Lakers hoped to place an experienced supporting cast around Russell, Ingram, Randle and Clarkson. Clarkson agreed to a four-year, $50 million deal Friday to stay with the team as a restricted free agent.I think history tells you that a bunch of young guys on a team is probably not a good thing, Kupchak said last month. They look around for leadership and advice from somebody whos been through this a couple of times, and if theres nobody to talk to, then they really dont know how to handle the situation. So I think we will look to add some veteran leadership, and hopefully not only leadership, but guys who can help us win games.A few minutes after free agency opened, the Lakers committed $64 million over the next four years to Mozgov, the 7-1 Russian who mostly sat on Clevelands bench during the Cavaliers championship run this summer. Mozgov doesnt seem an obvious fit for Waltons up-tempo approach, but the Lakers value his size, defense and experience.Although Deng finished last season with his lowest scoring average since his rookie year in Chicago in 2004-05, he is a hard-nosed defensive forward who can play multiple positions and deliver solid offense. He is also known for his diligence in practice, a quality that can only help this team.For the third straight summer, the glitzy Lakers have been on the outside looking in as the biggest names on the free-agent market have taken meetings and agreed to deals.They never got a meeting with Kevin Durant, while Los Angeles native DeMar DeRozan chose to stay in Toronto. Al Horford appears to be headed elsewhere, and the Lakers failed to attract Nicolas Batum or former Lakers forward Kent Bazemore before closing their pursuit of Deng.Thats why the Lakers didnt hesitate to go to a fourth year on the big contract for Deng. He will be entering his 13th season, but has proved durable during his career with the Bulls, Cavaliers and Heat. And he had several other suitors lining up for a crack at him, including Tom Thibodeau, the former Bulls coach now with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Custom Kansas City Royals Jerseys . Thousands of Southern California fans enveloped the Trojans to celebrate an improbable win secured by an interim coach, an inconsistent kicker and a thin defence that wouldnt break. Custom Pittsburgh Pirates Jerseys .C. -- Rodney Hood connected from all over the court while freshman Jabari Parker was busy swatting shots and scoring in transition. http://www.customjerseysbaseball.com/custom-arizona-diamondbacks-jerseys-74x.html . The 25-year-old Japanese star has officially been posted by his club team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles. Custom Tampa Bay Rays Jerseys . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists. Cheap Custom Baseball Jerseys . To the surprise of many, it isnt the Wolverines but their in-state rivals the Michigan State Spartans.Aston Villa boss Remi Garde admitted defeat to Stoke was difficult to take as they edged ever closer to relegation from the Premier League. Villas survival mission looks ever more impossible as they remain seven points adrift of the pack after a Marko Arnautovic double helped City to a 2-1 victory at the Britannia Stadium.Their 17th league defeat in 27 matches this season was a familiar tale, with defensive deficiencies and attacking ineptitude paving the way for the loss Although Garde felt his side recovered from their 6-0 thrashing against Liverpool in their previous match, he admitted their soft centre eventually cost them.It was a very difficult defeat [to take], the Frenchman told Sky Sports.I think we played quite well in the first half, we defended well and created chances, but we know that it is difficult for us to create chances at the moment. A Villa supporter holds a banner protesting against owner Randy Lerner We started slowly in the first 15 minutes of the second half and conceded the penalty and then the second one was a strange goal [which] for me is the fragility of the team.The travelling Villa supporters vented their anger at the clubs owner by chanting Randy Lerner out, but Garde insists it did not distract his players.Not at all a distraction for me, he said. I was concentrating on the game and I think the players [were] doing the same. Leandro Bacuna says a sloppy start to the second half was costly This is not part of our job to comment on the situation.dddddddddddd My job is to concentrate on the job. I try to keep this team as high as I can with the tools that I have got and Im only focused on that. Im not here to comment on any other things.Weve improved our team spirit on what we have done, or not done, in this game.We were at the same level we were at before the Liverpool game, but then we were without our attacking forward, so didnt create enough. Also See: Stoke 2-1 Aston Villa As it happened Garde questions squads commitment Villa fixtures ' ' '