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Atlanta Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer was slated to speak with Luol Deng on the phone Thursday night as a free agency pitch according to a report by USA Today's Sam Amick. Deng is still in Europe and isn't expected to start meeting face-to-face with teams until next week but the Hawks were granted an early pitch.
According to a person with knowledge of the situation, Deng was expected to speak with Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer about the possible partnership on Thursday night. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the talks.
The Hawks agreed to terms with free agent Thabo Sefolosha on Thursday and have around $11 million remaining in cap space. The report also indicates that Deng is currently seeking a deal worth around $12 million.
Even with the Hawks getting their pitch in early, Deng will have a number of suitors so he is unlikely to make a decision early in the process.