Four years. Six years. Ten. Fourteen. It all goes by so quickly.
That’s Luol Deng’s most prominent thought when he re-enters the United Center, the building he called home for close to a decade.
It has been four years since the Bulls stunningly traded Deng to the Cavaliers, coming up on six since Derrick Rose tore his left ACL and sent that era’s championship chances into uncertainty and almost 14 since the Bulls acquired Deng in a draft-day trade with the Suns.
“Honestly, just how fast those 10 years went playing here,” Deng said as he sat in the 100 level seats after the Lakers’ morning shootaround Friday at the United Center. “You think back to the teams we had and how much fun it was. And just the city, going out to eat and seeing people appreciate what you did here. That was always nice.
“That still happens for me when I visit. It’s pretty amazing.”
You could say the same for how a team grabs hold of a city’s fan base, creating moments of pride and pain, memories to last a lifetime.
Deng made two All-Star games as Tom Thibodeau’s indispensable and indefatigable two-way piece. Deng’s role, along with the meteoric rise of Rose and the irrepressible passion of Joakim Noah, seared into a fan base’s collective hearts.
Like the Dick Motta-led teams featuring Chet Walker, Bob Love, Jerry Sloan and Norm Van Lier, that era produced zero championships but countless you-remember-it-still moments.
“We’re still very close,” Deng said. “I talk to Jo. I talk to Derrick. All those guys on those teams, we’re still a part of those days.”
Deng isn’t a part of much of anything these days with the Lakers. Management sat the proud veteran down at the start of the season and said it wanted to feature the young players as part of a full rebuild.
Deng, who signed a four-year, $72 million deal in 2016 and averaged a career-low 7.6 points in 56 games last season, has played a grand total of 13 minutes in one meager appearance.
“It’s definitely frustrating, but I’m OK,” Deng said. “I just work on my game and wait for the next chapter. I don’t know how it’s going to work out but I’m just being patient.
“For me, the players are always going to be not only teammates but also friends. So I try to help them as much as I can and leave my frustrations on the side. Being in the league for so long, whatever I see with guys’ tendencies and stuff like that, I try to help my teammates.”
One thing Deng tries to help the young Lakers with is just how quickly the time passes.
“Really enjoy what you're doing today,” he said. “It's not going to last and for every locker room, there's always going to be a new story.”
Indeed, every other week or so, it seems like a faded star from those near-miss Bulls blows through town.
Noah, who just left the Knicks for personal reasons amid reports he yelled at coach Jeff Hornacek out of frustration, has sat inactive for all three Bulls-Knicks meetings. That included two at a United Center he used to rouse with his primal screams. Coincidentally, he signed the same terms as Deng.
Rose also left the Cavaliers this season for personal reasons amid reports he was contemplating his future in basketball. With his body betraying him yet again this season, this time a bone spur in his ankle, who knows what his future holds.
“It’s so different because I signed and I’ve been healthy. For them, they had a lot of time off,” Deng said. “Jo had that shoulder surgery and then he had that suspension (for PEDs). Derrick, new team and new beginning, so it’s a different situation.
“For me, I’m healthy. I’ve just been sitting there. I don’t know how to explain it. I’ve been practicing. I still go to the gym and shoot. I’ve never had this feeling. You feel great but you’re not going to play.”
On Feb. 9, the still-vibrant Jimmy Butler and Thibodeau come to town. Deng once mentored Butler, who just earned his fourth straight All-Star game berth.
Such days are likely gone for Deng. He will turn 33 in April. He’s in his 14th season. But surely, there’s a role for a rotation guy somewhere.
Just ask Deng.
“That’s no question,” Deng said without hesitation when asked if he still can contribute. “I’m not playing because I can’t play. If we’re going to go there, it is what it is. But I know I can play.”
In a reflective mood, Deng credited veterans like Malik Allen, Antonio Davis, Adrian Griffin, Ben Wallace and Kurt Thomas for helping him early in his career. He still talks to Thomas and Griffin and is proud he played on those “Baby Bulls” teams that returned to the playoffs for the first time since the dynasty.
“For my career, I was really lucky,” Deng said. “I had a lot of ups and downs with Scott Skiles. As I think back, I really appreciate everything he put me through and so did (assistant coach) Ron Adams. There were games when Scott Skiles didn't play me the whole second half and there were games where he didn't run a single play for me. Later on, when I look at those things, those were the things that kept me in the league because coming in, he wanted me to play better defense, I didn't play defense in the beginning. Later on, I became known as a guy who plays defense. So who you come under coaching-wise really matters.
“For me, Thibs was finally the coach that had a system I really wanted to play, where I actually could play almost the whole game and focus on my defense and offensively I did what I could because I was on the floor. That was the most fun times of my career because I played with no pressure. I played hard and because of the minutes I was playing, my numbers spoke for themselves.”
Deng even had kind words for former coach Vinny Del Negro, with whom he didn’t always see eye-to-eye.
“I didn't like the style we played. I really didn't. And maybe I could have dealt with it better at the time,” Deng said. “But Vinny is one of the guys that throughout my career, since I left here, would always call and check on me. At the time basketball was everything. But the guys that actually care about other things besides basketball, those are the guys I seem to get along well with longer.”
After all, time passes quickly.
Twitter @kcjhoop
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