Knicks · Can We Position Ourselves for a Pursuit of Joakim Noah? (page 1)

Let me start by saying that I'm a huge Melo fan but think we should be looking to rebuild instead of adding veterans for meaningless playoff runs. I'm 100% behind trying to move him to MIA for contracts and Justise Winslow. A Winslow-Porzingis-Galloway-Grant core with Gueremo Hernangomez waiting in the wings, is far more appealing to me as a fan of this franchise.

That being said, if the objective is to win now, I think we should be making plans to bring Joakim Noah into the fold. In spite of his injury problems and the obvious flaws in his game, he's a tremendous player and fits what we do in the triangle with his passing ability from the high post. Fortunately for us, he is a free agent this offseason and with subtle signs of discontent/friction in Chicago, I think we have a very real chance of acquiring him. What do you guys think? Is this a realistic aspiration? Will he be worth a big money investment? Could we acquire him sooner?

would love to get him. Def not for big money and big assets.

The only reason Id want him would be as an ending contract. Guy on the other side of 30 and gets hurt EVERY year. That kid Noriuega on Toronto who does not play--thats a kid who can play and is young.

This isn't really a "win now" team. Not totally. This is a strange mix of development and win now. The development takes precedence over win at all costs that a typical "win now" team attempts. We play way too many young developing players for this to be a complete "win now" season.

Besides we really need help at guard and maybe SF before another big is brought in at high cost.

You would have to take Rose as well..

He will be a free agent this off season. I can see Gasol opting out as well.

holfresh wrote:You would have to take Rose as well..

Nah, Noah and Gibson would work fine. Don't need Rose's contract.

We have that strange mix because you can't really build a culture with yoots only. Washington tried a few years ago under the owners directive and it could not work.
Have to have a balance.

Phil bought in guys that are into the system.

I love Noah but his injurie woes thruout his career usually don't get better and given his game is based off his athletic gifts that is a big problem. Fundamentally sound guys can last. Duncan is a prime example.
Iverson is the other.

Noah will end up in Dallas just seems about right.

Perfect fit for him today would be in Miami.

Nalod wrote:We have that strange mix because you can't really build a culture with yoots only. Washington tried a few years ago under the owners directive and it could not work.
Have to have a balance.

Phil bought in guys that are into the system.

I love Noah but his injurie woes thruout his career usually don't get better and given his game is based off his athletic gifts that is a big problem. Fundamentally sound guys can last. Duncan is a prime example.
Iverson is the other.

Noah will end up in Dallas just seems about right.

Perfect fit for him today would be in Miami.

Iverson? Really?

At this point how much does he really help us? He's not much better than Lopez, and won't play in nearly as many games. Our front-court is actually solidified for now and the future with Porzingis, Melo, Lopez, O'Quinn, and Dwill i'm really hoping. It's the back court we really need to figure out.

I think that Noah will make a really great coach. Maybe he can come here in the Kidd role for cheap.

mreinman wrote:I think that Noah will make a really great coach. Maybe he can come here in the Kidd role for cheap.

Not for a few years. He's beat up, but only 30...he's going to be thinking that he can recover some of his greatness at some point.

He's a competitor...no way he's ready to be one of those "you were good, but now you're on your last legs, be happy with what we give you" players.

Good concept, though.

I suspect he had micro fracture surgery a season or two ago- he had some sort of mysterious knee surgery in the 2014 offseason, that he said would take the whole season to recover from. I like him a lot, but he is clearly going to be one of those players who has a swift physical breakdown (which I think he is already in the midst of. He's a fantastic passer though- would have been great in the triangle in his prime.

Wanted Noah on this team for a long time, he's the heart and soul of the Bulls, and he would be amazing in a reserve role. He could start right now, I dont doubt that. But having the luxury of a player like Noah coming off the bench for a few good seasons would give us a second unit that can challenge a lot of starting line ups. The biggest problem with the starters is the backcourt. Solidifying the bench is the next step.

Edit: Only interested in Noah as an FA, not in a trade.

GustavBahler wrote:Wanted Noah on this team for a long time, he's the heart and soul of the Bulls, and he would be amazing in a reserve role. He could start right now, I dont doubt that. But having the luxury of a player like Noah coming off the bench for a few good seasons would give us a second unit that can challenge a lot of starting line ups. The biggest problem with the starters is the backcourt. Solidifying the bench is the next step.

Edit: Only interested in Noah as an FA, not in a trade.

So you are not up for a Jose swap?

mreinman wrote:

GustavBahler wrote:Wanted Noah on this team for a long time, he's the heart and soul of the Bulls, and he would be amazing in a reserve role. He could start right now, I dont doubt that. But having the luxury of a player like Noah coming off the bench for a few good seasons would give us a second unit that can challenge a lot of starting line ups. The biggest problem with the starters is the backcourt. Solidifying the bench is the next step.

Edit: Only interested in Noah as an FA, not in a trade.

So you are not up for a Jose swap?

Is Phil planning on slipping Gar Forman a roofie?

no hes not good anymore

callmened wrote:no hes not good anymore

I beg to differ.

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bulls/po...

Nick Friedell, ESPN Staff Writer

CHICAGO -- The difference in Joakim Noah's game on Thursday night was clear to Jimmy Butler. After failing to provide much of a spark for the first five games of the season in his new role off the bench, Noah played with a familiar fire in a 104-98 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"The lights, man," Butler said. "Jo loves the lights. When it's time to play your best, bet that Jo's going to bring his best effort."

It wasn't so much that Noah had four points, seven rebounds and four assists in 26 minutes -- it was the way in which he came to accumulate those stats that caught people's attention. He was moving up and down the court well and showing off that passion that has been missing from his game at times this season. Noah is at his best when he is pounding his chest and exhorting the crowd to get loud. He thrives off the emotion of others and enjoys the spotlight provided by being on a basketball court.

When asked if this was the best game he had played this season, the emotional big man simply said, "Uh, sure."

With his former coach at the University of Florida, Billy Donovan, manning the sidelines for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Noah had been excited about this matchup for a while. The interesting part about his comments after the game was that he said it wasn't Donovan's presence that got him going as much as it was the terrible defensive effort that the Bulls showed in a 130-105 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night.

"It was alarming," Noah said. "What happened in Charlotte was alarming."

As a leader of the Bulls, Noah appeared to take it personally that his team had played so poorly on his watch. Along with Butler, Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose, Noah helped set a hard-working tone for the Bulls that helped them prevail. The old guard of Fred Hoiberg's new group were the difference in this game, with Noah leading the way with a game-high plus-16.

"I was cursing guys out," Gibson said of the Bulls' practice demeanor after the Charlotte loss. "Jo was cursing guys out. Derrick was cursing guys out. It was good to have guys challenging each other."

Noah still is adjusting to his new role off the bench, but it was Donovan who said before the game his former center would do whatever he could to help his team win.

"He's a team guy," Donovan said. "So I think whatever Fred needs him to do, he's going to be the kind of guy that's going to do it. He'll do whatever is asked of him and that's the one thing I say about him being a teammate -- it's never ever about him, it's always about what he can do to help his team."

Maybe that's why when it was suggested to Noah by reporters after the game he needed to pump up his own game after Thursday night's win, he demurred.

"I don't like that [stuff]," he said. "That's not me."

What is for Noah is the ability to affect a game by playing like Jo again. He accomplished that against the Thunder.

"Jo's a huge energy guy," Butler said. "He does all the little things for us, making all the right plays. And he doesn't get enough credit for what he brings to this team. Without Jo, we wouldn't be the team that we are. He's an incredible leader, he plays extremely hard and he's always bringing his teammates up, man. Without that guy, we couldn't have done what we did tonight."

mreinman wrote:

Nalod wrote:We have that strange mix because you can't really build a culture with yoots only. Washington tried a few years ago under the owners directive and it could not work.
Have to have a balance.

Phil bought in guys that are into the system.

I love Noah but his injurie woes thruout his career usually don't get better and given his game is based off his athletic gifts that is a big problem. Fundamentally sound guys can last. Duncan is a prime example.
Iverson is the other.

Noah will end up in Dallas just seems about right.

Perfect fit for him today would be in Miami.

Iverson? Really?

I should have said "Iverson is at the other end of the spectrum"............Which is what I meant.
Iverson obviously relied on his athletic prowess.

Nalod wrote:

mreinman wrote:

Nalod wrote:We have that strange mix because you can't really build a culture with yoots only. Washington tried a few years ago under the owners directive and it could not work.
Have to have a balance.

Phil bought in guys that are into the system.

I love Noah but his injurie woes thruout his career usually don't get better and given his game is based off his athletic gifts that is a big problem. Fundamentally sound guys can last. Duncan is a prime example.
Iverson is the other.

Noah will end up in Dallas just seems about right.

Perfect fit for him today would be in Miami.

Iverson? Really?

I should have said "Iverson is at the other end of the spectrum"............Which is what I meant.
Iverson obviously relied on his athletic prowess.

oh ... ok - whew!

I used to love Noah but believe he's on a steady and maybe a fast decline.

Watching against the Cavs in last years playoffs and he was a ZERO threat offensively. He wasn't even close with his shots.

I just get the sense the injuries have robbed him of that something special he used to bring every night.

As an expiring deal -- yes I'd like him but on a brand new FA type deal would be very wary of that move particularly considering we have Lopez/KP6.

I'd be spending FA $$$ maybe on a PG or SG.