North: Future looks bleak for Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls news continues to be less than stellar with the recent declaration by Joakim Noah that he will soon be gone from town as a free agent.
The departure by the often injured Noah, at age 31, shouldn't really be a surprise.
The table was set at the beginning of the season when rookie coach Fred Hoiberg didn't seem to value him in the same manner as former coach Tom Thibodeau, who worked well with Noah. Thibs and Noah had a positive relationship on and off the court, and it's clear that Noah doesn't have the same level of trust with the rest of the Bulls front office.
Now the issue lands in the lap of Gar Forman. When you're the GM of a team, trust is paramount. With Noah's pending defection, future free agents might think twice before they listen to offers from the Bulls.
Yes, Noah's offensive game can be questioned, but his heart, desire and leadership qualities, along with his defense, are beyond reproach.
Now Noah wants to win a championship, like he did when he played at the University of Florida winning back-to-back NCAA championships.
Noah has played nine years with the Bulls and never won a ring, but why should it be shame on him?
How about the Bulls front office headed by vice president John Paxson not winning one in 13 seasons?
The Bulls want to play the run game and seem to have no use for defense, which is a mistake if you want to win a championship in the NBA.
If Noah leaves, I believe he will win a championship before the Bulls do.
Will he start or will he come off the bench? I don't know, but I can say he would be a welcome addition to several top teams in the league.
How about going to Golden State, Cleveland or Toronto to name a few? They will all give him a look.
There is some risk with his injuries, but when he's healthy he's a winner.
According to recent reports, Jimmy Butler is acting more like he's MJ than Jimmy Butler. I have no evidence, but that's the latest word.
Then there is the saga with Derrick Rose, a coddled and injury-prone player more worried about the payday from his next contract and what he will be doing 20 years from now than playing.
Noah wants out, Rose is a shadow of the player he once was, Butler thinks he's MJ, and Thibodeau is long gone. Right now the Bulls arrow is pointing down … straight down.
Program notes:
Follow me on Twitter@ north2north, and listen to Fox Sports Daybreak with Andy Furman and myself from 5-8 a.m. Monday through Friday on Fox Sports radio, and check me out on iHeart radio or Foxsportsradio.com.
• North's column appears each Tuesday and Friday in the Daily Herald, and his video commentary can be found Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at dailyherald.com. For more, visit northtonorth.com.