NBA Free Agency: 5 worst fits for Joakim Noah
Joakim Noah needs to find the right fit this year in free agency
It will go under the radar compared to some of the moves in free agency, but the decision of Joakim Noah will be a big one. He is now 31-years old and passed his prime, giving him a small span of time if he wants to win a ring. His play and health have gone down recently, and it will be interesting to see how much he would sacrifice in pay and playing time to play for a winner.
At the same time, he could just go for the money. This year, the salary cap is jumping from $70 Million to a reported $94 Million. With Noah, and his talented history and hustle he could could find himself being a commodity in free agency. He could see this as a chance to play with some young players as a veteran leader, cash some checks and play out his career that way.
Wherever he goes he needs to understand his role. The team also needs to understand his limitations. This is not the same Noah that was in the MVP talk in 2013. Over his past three years he has gone from 35 minutes per game, to 30, and down to 21 last year. In terms of points, he has fallen from 12, to seven, and down to four points per game last year. While Noah has always been known more for his defensive play, his defensive performance has fallen off as well.
Therefore, if you are going to pay Noah, you have to know what you are getting into. Some teams will overpay him with the hope for a 2013 Noah to revitalize a franchise. They will be hoping for a player that probably is not coming, and will end up being very underwhelmed with their decision.
That is why Noah, even more than some other players needs to go to a strong fit. He has to go to a team that needs him, and his play of rebounding and defense. Still, both sides have to know that they are getting a limited variety of it. If he goes to a poor fit, it could lead to his slow fall out of relevance. If he goes to a strong fit, we could all remember the old Noah being a player who put a team over the edge in the playoffs next year.
That said here are the five worst fits for Joakim Noah.
Next: 5. Chicago Bulls