Joakim Noah has been the heart and soul of the Chicago Bulls since arriving there as a rookie in 2007. However, with a deal that sent Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks in exchange for center Robin Lopez earlier this week, Noah’s days with the Bulls were numbered regardless of his free agent status.
Where would Noah land after a disappointing 2015-16 season?
It appears that Noah is returning home, as the New York City-born player has been the subject of rumored deals over the past 24 hours. On Friday, Noah may have cemented the deal with an Instagram post showing him wearing a Knicks cap.
This past season was far from what was expected for the 31-year-old, as injuries ravaged his season and he played in just 29 games while starting just two for the Bulls under new head coach Fred Hoiberg. Noah averaged a career low 4.3 points, while also dropping to just 8.8 rebounds and shooting just 38.3 percent from the field in his limited time with the team.
ESPN has reported sources telling them the deal will be 4 years, $72 million. However, the Chicago Tribune sites sources with the deal at the $70 million mark.
Should the move become official, it would reunite Rose and Noah, who provided the Bulls with one of the better inside-out combos in the league when they were both healthy.
For the Knicks, it represents a move to try and jump-start a faltering franchise in the hopes that new surroundings will mean new health for both players.
It certainly is a gamble given the money both are going to be making, but Knicks president Phil Jackson seems to have a plan in place. That plan working likely hinges on both players remaining healthy.
