2. Joakim Noah
I don’t need to remind Chicago fans about the impact Joakim Noah had on the Bulls. The 2x All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year was a huge part of the Bulls success during the Derrick Rose/Tom Thibodeau era.
In fact, Noah might have been the MVP of the Bulls during that era.
He’s struggled to make it work during his last two years with the New York Knicks (after signing an absurd 4-year, $72 million deal). After his first two seasons under that contract, he’s only played in a combined 53 games and averaged 4.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game on 49.0 percent shooting from the field (acceptable) and 43.9 percent shooting from the free-throw line (unacceptable).
That isn’t the Joakim Noah we all know and love, and that isn’t how I want to remember him on the basketball court.
The BIG3 would give Noah a great opportunity to showcase his defensive talents and insane work ethic one more time. I’m not sure he has any more NBA basketball left in him. Maybe I’m wrong and he’ll reunite with Thibs, Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose in Minnesota, but I’m not sold on him being effective as an NBA player anymore.
Anchoring the defense on a BIG3 team is where he can still shine.