Minnesota Timberwolves: Analyzing Luol Deng’s signing for the ‘Timberbulls’

The verdict

If Luol Deng goes out there in 2018-19 and actually contributes to the Minnesota Timberwolves, it would not be a major surprise. Even with years between the last time Deng was effective and now, he has a long track record of success that can’t be discounted until we see him play real NBA minutes again.

However, the risk that Thibodeau will play him too much and feature him too prominently off the bench is real, and one that likely wouldn’t exist with most other franchises. For that reason alone, even this one-year, $2.4 million deal needs to be looked at skeptically.

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The Wolves were not nearly as shallow on the wing as people claimed, and bringing Deng in to play over rookies Josh Okogie and Keita Bates-Diop is exactly the kind of shortsighted move that sets franchises back (especially considering the volatility of the Timberwolves franchise right now).

Despite the skepticism about the size of his role, perhaps Luol Deng as the person and veteran will help assuage a locker room that didn’t seem too warm and fuzzy last season.

Heck, Deng may even do an adequate job of providing a 3-and-D body off the bench if his body holds up to 20 minutes per game over the course of the season.

But in any case, for a poorly-run franchise that has never been able to lift itself out of the NBA’s lower class, letting Thibodeau sign another former Bull will leave a stench around the team that only a shocking Deng revitalization will dispel.

I won’t say it’s a bad move just yet, but considering the specifics of the team and Deng himself, it was an unnecessary one.