FILE – Loul Deng #9 of the Chicago Bulls looks over at the bench of the San Antonio Spurs at the United Center on February 11, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images/AFP
Luol Deng has signed a one-year NBA deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, becoming the fourth former Chicago Bulls player to join ex-Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau’s squad.
The 33-year-old South Sudanese-born forward, reportedly set to make $2.4 million in his 15th NBA campaign, spent his first 9 1/2 league seasons with the Bulls before being traded to Cleveland.
Deng has also played for the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers, who waived him earlier this month.
Thibodeau now has former Chicago players Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose on the roster of a team jokingly dubbed the “Timberbulls.”
Deng also joins a Minnesota lineup featuring center Deng Adel, a South Sudanese-born Australian, and Senegalese forward Gorgui Dieng.
Deng has averaged 15.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals a game in 880 appearances over 14 NBA seasons.
With Thibodeau and the Bulls, Deng reached the 2011 Eastern Conference finals and in more than three seasons together from 2010-2014 averages 16.8 points and 6.2 rebounds.
Deng credited Thibodeau for maximizing his talent into All-Star form, reaching the NBA All-Star Game in 2012 and 2013.