Luol Deng accepts a one-year contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves

Thibodeau made no promises to Deng while playing and playing, but he offered the chance to win minutes on a list comprising three of the former Deng's Chicago Bulls teammates – Jimmy Butler, Derrick Rose and Taj Gibson.

Deng accepted a $ 7.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers to find a chance to play significant minutes elsewhere.

The acquisition of Deng earned him $ 29 million for the remaining two years of his contract, for which the Lakers used the waiver and lengthening clause to soften the short-term success of the salary cap.

Deng signed a four-year, $ 72 million deal with the Lakers in 2016. The Lakers have set a record of 33-year-old Deng for all but one of the last season's games.