Despite blunt honesty from Luol Deng over the years, he’ll retire a Bull

The Reinsdorfs obviously forgive and forget.

At least when it comes to Luol Deng.

The organization announced Thursday that it had signed Deng, allowing him to retire with the Bulls after 15 seasons in the NBA.

“We’re very fortunate and humbled that Luol has chosen to retire as a Chicago Bull,’’ team president and chief operating officer Michael Reinsdorf said in a statement. “He was a role model on and off the court during his nine-plus years in Chicago, and he gave everything he had to help us win.

“I want to thank Luol for not only what he accomplished on the court for the team, but also for the leadership he demonstrated through his philanthropic efforts.’’

Reinsdorf also could have thanked Deng for his unabashed honesty, including Deng’s take on the franchise’s treatment of former coach Tom Thibodeau.

During the 2014-15 season, Deng took his first swipe at the Bulls, criticizing all of the growing momentum before the expected departure of Thibodeau.

“It’s stupid,” Deng told the Sun-Times of the pending decision. “He’s one of the best coaches in the league. I really think if you get rid of someone like that, there’s going to be a lot of rebuilding coming afterward.’’

He doubled down the next season as a member of the Heat.

“I’m still in awe that they went ahead and made that decision,’’ Deng said. “Coach Thibs is one of the best coaches I’ve ever played for, and when you get a coach like that, his basketball IQ is very high. I think it’s smart to listen to him and have a relationship where you always understand where he’s coming from.

‘‘I don’t know the details of what happened, but that can’t get in the way of building a great basketball team.’’

It obviously did, and, as Deng predicted, the Bulls were eventually forced to take the rebuild route.

Obviously, time has healed the wounds.

The Bulls, who selected Deng with the seventh pick of the 2004 NBA Draft, plan to honor him in a game this season.

“That was a really cool thing that the Reinsdorfs did, the Chicago Bulls did for [Deng],’’ coach Jim Boylen said. “It’s really cool that he wanted to have it that way.’’

Still taking the high road

It’s no secret that Boylen and Jabari Parker were on different pages last season after Boylen took over from Fred Hoiberg.

Boylen greeted Parker with a bunch of benchings in December, and Parker was eventually traded in the Otto Porter Jr. deal with the Wizards. Still, Boylen wouldn’t take a shot at Parker, who was in town with the Hawks.

“I spent a lot of time with Jabari when I was an assistant, and I have no issues with him,’’ Boylen said. “I’m glad he’s in a good place. I have a lot of friends on the Atlanta staff. I hear they’re very happy with him, they love his talent, like we did, and I wish him nothing but the best.’’

Injury front

Shaquille Harrison and Chandler Hutchison were sidelined again with hamstring injuries, but Harrison practiced the last few days and is expected to be ready for the start of the season Wednesday in Charlotte.

Hutchison, the 22nd overall pick in the 2018 draft, is much further behind and could miss the first few games.