Chicago Bulls Rumors: Luol Deng open to returning next year
By Josh Hill
The Chicago Bulls are dug deep into the free agent trenches to try and figure out just how they can convince Carmelo Anthony to come to town and join up with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Tom Thibodeau but he’s not the only free agent the team is looking at.
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Luol Deng is hitting the open market this summer and his return to Cleveland is highly doubtful, but a return to another former home of his isn’t so much out of the question as once thought.
According to Sam Amick from USA Today, who spoke with Deng’s agent, the former Bulls star isn’t close minded to returning to Chicago and harbors now ill-will towards the team for trading him this past year.
"“There’s always going to be a part of him that belongs to Chicago, and part of Chicago that belongs to him,” Shade said. “There were no hard feelings (about the trade). Moving forward, he’d look to have an amicable relationship (if he played with the Bulls).”"
Deng will have a number of suitors on the open market as everyone from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Dallas Mavericks and even the Miami Heat have shown an interest in pursuing Deng which means his price will only go up. He may take a discount to return to the Bulls, especially if they land a better roster, but we can’t go assuming players will be open to discounts when they’ve made no indication of the sorts.
But fans in Chicago will just be happy that Deng is open to returning and that could be enough to mend any old wounds that may be lingering from his abrupt departure.