Luol Deng Opts In to Heat Contract: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

Luol Deng decided his first season with the Miami Heat went so well that he's going to do it all over again. The 30-year-old small forward exercised his player option for 2015-16, his agent revealed Monday.

"He opted in two minutes ago," Deng's agent, Herb Rudoy, told Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. The Heat confirmed Deng's decision.

According to Spotrac, Deng will earn a little over $10 million next year before becoming an unrestricted free agent. Beyond the financial motivation, Ken Berger of CBS Sports explained that Deng's reasons for returning were twofold:

Deng's decision comes after the Heat selected Justise Winslow in the NBA draft, giving the rookie time to grow, as Ethan Skolnick of Bleacher Report noted:

In April, Deng refused to commit one way or the other regarding his option, but he made it clear how much he was enjoying his time with the team, per Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post:

"

I love this organization. It's been top-class and everything. I've had one of my healthiest years. It was never anything serious. I've felt great about the medical staff.

When you've been in the league 11 years, as soon as you start putting mileage on your body, you want a group that knows your body and you're comfortable with them. The organization has been great.

"

When he arrived in Miami, Deng faced an almost impossible task: replacing LeBron James. He is a solid veteran role player, but he isn't a four-time Most Valuable Player and a two-time NBA Finals MVP.

Some Heat fans probably expected too much of Deng and the team in general this past season. Miami at full strength almost certainly would've made the playoffs, but a fifth straight trip to the Finals was likely out of the question. Then, Chris Bosh missed a large chunk of the season as he dealt with blood clots on his lungs.

The arrival of Goran Dragic midseason helped, but it was too little too late.

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All in all, Deng's numbers were a bit underwhelming during his first season in Miami. He averaged 14 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game last year, all of which were slightly down from 2013-14, per Basketball-Reference.com.

According to NBA.com, the Heat's offense was much better with him on the court (105.2 offensive rating) than when he was off it (95.5 offensive rating). However, their defense improved by a little over three points without him on the floor.

Given how many things went wrong for Miami this year, having Deng exercise his option is probably the best decision for both parties. Ideally, the Heat will re-sign Dragic, and though Dwyane Wade is expected to test free agency, Pat Riley wants to retain his star players.

With Deng on board and Winslow behind him, the Heat could realistically see a 10-win turnaround in 2015-16 if Riley is able to convince his players to re-sign.