Britain’s Deng joins Timberwolves for 15th NBA campaign

Britain’s 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 9.5 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.

He became a free agent on September 1 when he agreed to a buyout with the Lakers. The 14-year veteran appeared in only one game with the Lakers last season and was looking for the chance to play meaningful minutes elsewhere in 2018-19.

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 Sudaneseborn 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 seasons.

With Thibodeau and the Bulls, Deng reached the 2011 Eastern Conference finals and, in more than three seasons together from 2010 to 2014, averaged 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.