Despite the writing being on the proverbial wall for months, it was still jarring for the Chicago Bulls to part ways with Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. Rose was the hometown hero who had grown into being the franchise star. Noah was the heart and soul of the team, a fan-favorite who gave it all for the Bulls.
Now, Rose and Noah are returning to play in the United Center. This time, they will be doing so as members of the New York Knicks, playing as the enemy in Chicago.
As strange as it will be to witness that sight, Noah believes that it was the right time for Chicago to move on from its long-time cornerstones.
Following via Vincent Goodwill of CSN Chicago:
“I think it was time for change,” said Noah after the New York Knicks’ shootaround Friday morning at the United Center. “There’s no question about that. It seems like (The Bulls) is a happy group. They enjoy being around one another. That’s good.”
Noah went on to wish the city of Chicago well after their Cubs won the World Series a few days ago. He did so while expressing frustrations that his Bulls were not able to bring a parade to Chi-town.
But Joakim Noah is correct. The Bulls needed to move on from their old stars in order to rebuild and compete in the East again. Things did not work out well between the franchise and Noah and Rose. But they had immense success as an organization for several years before breaking up that core. That matters, and both Rose and Noah will likely see the impact as fans gather to watch them on their new team.
