Happy NBA tip-off everybody! Welcome to another season of “the Chicago Bulls will challenge Lebron James for Eastern Conference supremacy.” I’ve heard that line more than “I really don’t do this with guys when I first meet them,” and I’m way too cynical a Generation Xer to believe either one.
Keep telling yourself these things, maybe they will one day become true! Perhaps you don’t usually you those things with a man on a first date, but we do know exactly what happens when Joakim Noah and the Chicago Bulls have a date with Lebron James in the NBA Playoffs.
The script and the ending is more predictable than a Hollywood rom-com starring Kate Hudson. Once again Lebron is expected to rule the East this season, and once again the Bulls are expected to be the team with the best shot of meeting/beating them in the Eastern Conference Finals.
In the bigger picture though, it’s essentially “NBA Hell,” because you’re stuck at the exact same spot every year, over and over and over again. In NBA Hell you hit a wall, whether it’s in the first round, the second round, (where the Chicago Bulls are right now), the conference finals or even the NBA Finals. The Chicago Bulls themselves imposed NBA Hell on the Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks and Utah Jazz during the Michael Jordan dynasty years.
So what’s the aftermath of NBA Hell? Blowing up the roster, and it could start with Joakim Noah. Yes, even Joakim Noah, a beloved (and deservedly so) core member of this team.
ESPN NBA analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson appeared on a media conference call to discuss the start of the 2015-16 NBA regular season. One of the questions that they received was:
There is talk about Nikola Mirotic being a starter and Joakim Noah coming off the bench for Chicago. How do you think that’s going to play off as they try to take that run at the Eastern Conference? Here are there responses
JACKSON:
As far as Joakim Noah is concerned, passionate, committed, a winner, I’m sure — I hope so, as a fan of his that he’s willing to buy in, to not just be a rah-rah guy when you are starting and having an impact, but be that same type of guy if you’re asked to come off the bench. He’s been that guy consistently from day one.
Joakim Noah is indeed saying all the rah-rah things right now. He’s towing the party line, which is exactly what he has to do. Whether he stays or whether he goes, he’s got to look, act, play and sound like a team player. His potential future employers are watching.
VAN GUNDY:
The Noah thing is very interesting, on a number of levels. Can Mirotic and Gasol anchor a good enough defense for the offensive improvement that they expect to see with that lineup. Noah in a contract year, how does he respond, how does he accept a lot less minutes? Remember, two years ago this guy was the defensive player of the year, and I think it was fourth in the MVP balloting, and Gasol is coming off a magnificent last year that he had, and he’s still at the top of his game, so this is a huge sacrifice if that’s what Fred decides for Noah to make, and it’s going to be interesting to see how he handles it.
And I think the other issue there is they may be easing Noah out, because I think if Bobby Portis had more opportunity, he would be a viable rookie of the year candidate. I think it was an outstanding draft choice by the Bulls, I think he’s played well in preseason, and because of Chicago hating to pay luxury tax, you know, maybe they can’t afford everybody and, you know, maybe this is a step into Noah, being — his role being reduced even more and ultimately either traded or let go. So I think there is a lot of interesting subplots to Noah coming off the bench.
Van Gundy is no stranger to going “studio gangsta” on the Chicago Bulls, and their upcoming front office plans. And although it certainly makes JVG a less than beloved figure in Chicago, it doesn’t mean that he’s wrong.
Maybe the benching is the first step to a Joakim Noah departure?
Maybe a Joakim Noah departure is the first piece to be sold off, to initiate a Bulls re-tooling?
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and sometimes writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. The website is also featured on News Now.
Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye. He also appears regularly on numerous television and radio talk shows all across the country. Catch him Tuesdays on KOZN 1620 The Zone.
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