Luol Deng on the Cavs – A Cleveland & Chicago Perspective

C-Towners and Chitowners Chime In

It was bound to happen. But who knew it would so quickly?

Before I left Cleveland, Thomas Mulready generously asked me to stay on staff, to keep working on the Career TOOLBox column and, also, to find Cleveland related stories wherever I’d go. Of course, when you look for things, they appear. But sometimes when you don’t look for them, they appear even quicker.

On January 7, just four days after my Polar Vortex drive from Cleveland to Chicago, I read that Luol Deng was traded from the Bulls to the Cavs. As a lover of b-ball and citizen of both cities, I had to write this story.

Both Chitown and C-Town have lots in common: Midwest, Great Lakes Cities that once profited on industry and factories and that have since evolved into other sectors. Both locations had the famous fires. Both have a rich mobster history. Both have thriving culinary scenes that have emerged from meat and potatoes to gastronomic meccas. Immigrants built both municipalities. And both cities love their sports. As in LOVE their sports.

Specifically in the NBA, the crossover has been, well, less than subtle. Michael Jordan and the Bulls ruled the ’90s, with 6 championship rings. In 2003 Cleveland signed LeBron James, who insisted on wearing #23 on his jersey. Of course, there was the famous break up before he moved to Florida, where he started winning his rings. Yet, since that migration, the Cavs have moved on and the Bulls are making a new mark in a new decade.

Now that Deng’s moved from the Chicago River to the Cuyahoga, fans on both sides of the Indiana toll booth have opinions. So I asked my friends in both towns I once called home to chime in and here’s what they had to say.

Chicagoans:

Jill Landau: My son is very upset.

Angelo Dourvis: From the Bulls perspective, it had to be done.

Chris Kelly: I’m marginally interested, but it may be a good trade for the Bulls. They seem to have gotten more out of it in the long run. Lowered their salary commitment, got some solid draft picks and allows them to chase other top talent over the next few years. Not sure about what this does for Cleveland — they’re weaker than the Bulls. It helps them today, but they paid a lot in future potential for it.

Clevelanders:

Chris Connelly: I’m pretty stoked!

Greg Vovos: I love it. Hope they can re-sign him after the year, but that might be asking too much.

As both teams rebuild, reposition and rebound, it’ll be interesting to see which one will advance to the playoffs and which has a chance at winning the championship.

Deng spent 10 years with the Bulls, the same decade I lived in Cleveland, and during which I spent the first five years obsessed with attending and watching Cavs games, both in the stadium and on screen, elevating my blood pressure and channeling my inner Samuel L. Jackson.

During that whole decade, Deng was there, I was here. Now I’m there and he’s here.

In addition to the Chitown/C-Town connection, we were both also born overseas and then as kids made America our home. Deng was born in Sudan, fled to Egypt and then lived in England before moving to the States. This isn’t a man who fears change, geographic or otherwise.

This is what happens when you’re an immigrant. You push and you push and you risk and you try and you keep going and doing. Because when you’re an immigrant, your entire mission is to get out of where you’re at and to recreate yourself elsewhere, poised as someone bigger and better than who you were at your last geography.

Deng’s shown leadership since his youth and won awards along his accomplished career. The Cavs have since shown a step in their stride and the team cohesion, as evidenced by an improved record, is solidifying. Whatever may have been his previous skill weaknesses or blind spots, he has an opportunity to, now, flip them upside down and, with each game, carve the new direction. The Cavs’ future looks bright with this NBA star. And the time has come for all of Cleveland — Sports, Film, Art, Culture & Commerce — to confidently and unapologetically go hard in the paint.

And, so, while Chicagoans love their pizza deep dish while Clevelanders like theirs New York style, watching basketball is ritual in both cities. Expecting championship level playing is a Midwest birthright. It’s more than just a pastime. It’s a gateway to hope.

Reprinted with gratitude and permission from Cool Cleveland.