Fansided

NBA free agency: Washington Wizards in lead for Joakim Noah

By John Buhler

Dec 3, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Chicago Bulls forward center Joakim Noah (13) reacts to a call during the second half of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena. Bulls win 102-95. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Chicago Bulls forward center Joakim Noah (13) reacts to a call during the second half of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena. Bulls win 102-95. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Washington Wizards have emerged as the team to beat to land former Chicago Bulls’ Defensive Player of the year in center Joakim Noah in NBA free agency.

Former Chicago Bulls star center Joakim Noah will hit 2016 NBA free agency as a major commodity in the big man market. While he was limited to only 29 games in the 2015-16 NBA season, there is reportedly one team that is willing to give Noah a maximum contract offer.

According to Mitch Lawrence of Sporting News, the Washington Wizards “are locked in on making a major offer to Joakim Noah. The Wizards are said to be willing to offer Noah…a full maximum contract. His deal would start at $28 million and reach around $120 million over four seasons.”

It seems that the Wizards will have a vacancy in their starting front court, as the Washington brass probably aren’t going to keep 34-year-old veteran center Nene. Having Noah with power forward Marcin Gortat and small forward Markieff Morris in the starting front court bodes well for incoming head coach Scott Brooks to have success in his first year on the job.

The biggest threat to Washington in landing Noah seems to be Noah’s hometown team in the New York Knicks. Like the Wizards, the Knicks have a glaring vacancy at the starting center position, as New York traded last year’s starter Robin Lopez to Chicago in the Derrick Rose trade on Wednesday afternoon.

Paying Noah a maximum salary at this stage of his career is a bit risky. Sure, he’ll provide great on-court leadership, dynamic passing from the center position, and anchor a defense, but he’s become an injury-prone player after years of grinding in Tom Thibodeau’s all-out defensive scheme while with the Bulls.

Since the NBA Salary Cap is set to explode next summer, even a maximum contract to an aging veteran big man like Noah won’t seem so crippling even if he does struggle to stay on the floor in 2016-17 with his new basketball team.

For more NBA free agency news, please check out our NBA free agency category page.

Home/Chicago Bulls