It’s turning into a twisty turn of events for Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah, who was earlier reported to be telling teammates that he wants out of Chicago, which Noah’s agent then retracted and denied. Noah is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer after the final year of his five-year, $60 million contract.
If there ever was an underlying tension happening there, it seems to have since cooled down, as Nick Friedell of ESPN reports that Noah is having positive talks with the Bulls about a new contract:
Veteran Bulls center Joakim Noah, his representatives and the Chicago front office continue to have a “positive dialogue” about a new contract amid a report that Noah has been telling teammates he’s ready to leave the franchise, a league source told ESPN.com on Wednesday.
Those close to Noah, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, are still hopeful that he will be able to work out an agreement to stay in Chicago long term.
Noah, 31, has boasted a genuine fabric of loyalty as a member of the Bulls. The prior report about Noah’s desire to leave Chicago was said to be due to a lack of trust in the front office to rectify the team’s issues. The contrary belief is that Noah is not sold after a season under first year head coach Fred Hoiberg, who clashed with Bulls star Jimmy Butler a bit this season.
We’ll see how positive things are between Noah and the Bulls when more information surfaces about the progression of his contract negotiation.
