Chicago Bulls: 5 free agents to target for frontcourt help

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Joakim Noah Mandatory Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports /

2) Chicago Bulls FA targets for frontcourt help

Joakim Noah, Center

A career Bulls big man that was one of the biggest and brightest stars of the team from around the mid-to-late 2000’s through the mid-2010’s is also a former college player under Billy Donovan. Former Bull and longtime NBA veteran Joakim Noah played under Donovan when the two were together with the National Championship-winning Florida Gators back in the mid-2000’s.

That was prior to the Bulls picking Noah with the ninth overall pick out of the Florida hoops program in the first round of the 2007 NBA Draft. The now 35-year-old former Gator and New York native could wind up calling it quits officially in the very near future. Noah didn’t land any NBA contracts since his run with the Los Angeles Clippers ended last season.

But it would be a nice way to send Noah out if he were to finish his playing days in the NBA in the Windy City with the team it all started out with. The two-time NBA All-Star selection, three-time All-Defensive Team selection, and one-time Defensive Player of the Year, could be one of the most underrated and impactful big men that the Bulls could go after that still is a free agent.

Although the Bulls wouldn’t be getting the same version of Noah that they had when he was in his prime years the first time around, he could still be a very good locker room presence. Still, he averaged 9.3 points per game, 9.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.4 blocks, in more than 550 regular season games played in his run with the Bulls the first time around.