Luol Deng: Nine points in preseason debut

The veteran was making his exhibition debut after sitting out Saturday’s opener
and drew even with his primary competition for the backup small forward role,
Corey Brewer, in scoring on the night. Deng saw downturns across the board last
season, particularly in his offensive numbers, as he posted career lows in
scoring percentage (38.7) and points (7.6) over 56 games. However, he may find
the second-unit role he’s slated for this coming season much more conducive to
his aging body, although it remains to be seen how bench minutes between he and
Brewer might be divided, irrespective of who prevails in their preseason job
battle.