Have we seen the best days of Noah?

[ChiSoxCity]

Just to piggyback off the Rose thread, I think Noah's best days are behind him. He's my favorite Bulls player, but he's not worth his contract anymore. What do you guys think, time to move him?

 

[BNB]

I think he has peaked. He won't be getting any better. It's only worth moving him if we can get something good back in return. Moving him just to movie him would be pointless. Yeah, we can do it for cap space... but right now, there doesn't seem like there will be a good replacement for Noah in free agency... so we should just keep him for now.

 

[ChiSoxCity]

Kevin Love can opt out of his contract in 2015.

LaMarcus Aldridge becomes a UFA in 2015.

Getting something for Noah while he can still walk is crucial, plus it gives the Bulls flexibility to sign future free agents, IMO.

 

[clonetrooper264]

If we're going to move him, now's a good time to do so. His value this season will probably be as high as it will be unless he just explodes and never gets injured...but that's unlikely. That said, teams are probably wary of his injury history and all that. Even so, there's plenty of teams who could use a guy like him. I think his value is definitely more than Deng's so we in theory should be able to get a pretty good draft pick if we traded him to a bad team.

 

[Axl Rose]

yeah im on board with moving him

 

[JosMin]

He's peaked in the sense that I don't expect him to suddenly develop Hakeem Olajuwon's post moves, but having an elite defensive center who'll routinely get you a double-double and is a terribly underrated passer isn't the worst thing in the world.

 

[BIGGIEsmalls 23]

IMHO, Noah is still a top 3 NBA center & I want him here until he retires. We will still be in position to go after Love or LMA with Noah here. Noah is still not in basketball shape yet. I can remember only one season (last season) that he didn't have a slow start. The guy parties during the off-season.

If we do the right thing by moving Deng for picks/cheap contract, while moving Boozer before next season's trade deadline (he will be an expiring contract next season) or allowing him to walk in free agency after next season....we will be in prime position to sign Kevin Love or LMA. I believe that both Love & LMA are destined to leave their small market teams, which means that they will either be traded next season (so their current teams recoup something for them ala Melo/Dwight) or they will leave via free agency at the end of next season.

I can see a scenario where we have a desirable package of Boozer (expiring), Mirotic, Jimmy Buckets, & draft picks that will entice either Portland (LMA) or Minnesota (Love). The key is making sure that we don't hold on to Deng by re-signing him to another contract.

Moving forward with (after trading deadline) next season and/or beyond, we can see a starting lineup consisting of:

PG Rose
SG Butler or Snell or 2014 lottery pick
SF Butler or Snell or 2014 lottery pick
PF Love or LMA
C Noah

 

[ChettheJet]

Centers are hard to come by unless you like to settle for undersized or lead footed like Aaron Gray. Noah isn't going to make a big jump scoring wise but if you have a 20+ PPG point guard 12 from your starting center is just fine. But where he is right now is where he can remain for 5-8 more years without falloff because he's not overly muscular so he won't slow down and get fat. Yeah he's been hurt of late, recall how injury prone Carlos Boozer was until the past 3 years. You couldn't trade Noah and upgrade another position enough to offset the downgrade you'd take at the 5. Especially the way Noah passes the ball, rebounds and plays defense.

Neither Love or Aldridge are centers and they too have been injured, can you promise they won't get hurt more than Noah in the years to come.

 

[FrenchieBully]

He is elite at almost everything on the defensive end, plus he is an elite garbage man. He cleans up like the boards and scores at a high level for a guy who can't create his own offense. I'd throw him in for a LMA or Love trade, but unless it's a top 5 lotto pick, hell no!

 

[Bear Pride]

Did you not see the Heart Noah displayed last year in the playoffs? Do you remember him playing in the All Star game last year? He's one of the best defensive C's in the NBA, and also one of the best passing C's as well. The kid's a warrior even if not the scorer everyone wishes he was. And you want to replace him for what, a mid round draft pick? Unbelievable is all I say! We should be adding a good b/u C instead. He's only 28 and really reasonably priced for a starting C.

YEAR	BASE	S. BONUS	MISC.	CAP HIT
2011-2012	12,000,000	-	-	12,000,000
2012-2013	11,300,000	-	-	11,300,000
2013-2014	11,100,000	-	-	11,100,000
2014-2015	12,200,000	-	-	12,200,000
2015-2016	13,400,000	-	-	13,400,000
2016-2017

To put it in perspective, Noah is the #19th highest paid C in the NBA. Sure, let's trade him for a mid rounder. :bizarro: