Joakim Noah has been a Chicago Bull since the team drafted him ninth overall in the 2007 NBA Draft. He has been a key piece for the franchise, but his time as a Chicago staple seems to be coming to an end. According to reports, Noah, who is an unrestricted free agent, is telling teammates he’s purportedly done with franchise, and will not don a Bulls jersey again.
It was a rough season for Noah and the Bulls. Tom Thibodeau was fired and replaced with Fred Hoiberg, and Noah put up lackluster numbers until he had shoulder surgery that ended his season after 29 games. The Bulls, who have been one of the best teams in the NBA the last handful of years, ended up missing the playoffs (something they’d never done under former coach, Tom Thibodeau). However, according to an unnamed Bulls player who spoke to the Chicago Sun-Times, that’s not why Noah is saying he’s done with the Bulls. Instead, the player says that Noah “has no trust in the front office getting this in the right direction.”
Apparently, Noah was at the forefront of a multi-player rift with Bulls general manager Gar Forman, and it seems like that rift isn’t likely to be fixed. Noah seems almost certain to move on; although, the team is reportedly interested in bringing him back. He’s 31, he only averaged 4.3 points per game last season, and he’s coming off shoulder surgery. His best days may be behind him, and so it may benefit both parties for Noah to head elsewhere.
(Via Chicago Sun-Times)
