Report: Timberwolves to pursue Deng

Tom Thibodeau is reportedly in the hunt for another one of his former Chicago Bulls players.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have launched their pursuit of veteran forward Luol Deng, league sources told Marc Stein of The New York Times.

Deng will meet with the organization this week, added Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The 33-year-old was bought out by the Los Angeles Lakers over the weekend after a forgettable two years in purple and gold. He signed a four-year, $72-million deal with L.A. in the high-spending summer of 2016.

Over the past two seasons, Deng played in just 57 games, averaging 7.5 points and 5.2 rebounds in 26.3 minutes. He only played in one contest last season, as he was shut down with the team promoting its youth movement.

If Deng signs in Minnesota, Thibodeau will be closer to creating a "Timber-Bulls" lineup with Jimmy Butler, Derrick Rose, and Taj Gibson already on the roster. The team is also rumored to be interested in New York Knicks center Joakim Noah if he's bought out or waived.