Joakim Noah: Lingering Injury Raises Questions

Coming into the preseason, one of the biggest storylines for the Chicago Bulls was the health of point guard Derrick Rose. And this was certainly warranted because Rose is the team’s franchise player, the difference between the Bulls being good and great.

However, one of the main reasons why the Bulls were a playoff team once again during Rose’s absence was the superb play of All-Star center Joakim Noah. When the season appeared to be spiraling out of control with a 12-18 start and the trade of Luol Deng, Noah made sure the Bulls remained relevant in the conference playoff race.

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/22/2014.

More from Hoops Habit

• The 5 most dominant NBA players who never won a championship
• 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
• Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
• Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
• Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout

After an impressive 2012-13 campaign, Noah elevated his play even more last season, recording career highs in points (12.6), rebounds (11.3) and assists (5.4).

Throw in the fact that Noah’s assists-per-game numbers led the team and that he went on to win the Defensive Player of the Year award while finishing fourth in the MVP race, it is easy to see why he is so valuable to the Bulls on both ends of the floor.

The only downside to Noah’s impressive 2013-14 season was that he sustained a knee injury right before the playoffs began. And while Noah gave a maximum effort, as he always does each time he steps on the court, he just wasn’t the same in the first-round playoff series against the Washington Wizards. This was one of the many reasons why the Bulls were eliminated in just five games.

Shortly after the season ended, Noah had what was described as “minor” knee surgery, and the expected recovery timetable was eight to 10 weeks. But as we know, things do not always go according to plan.

Fast forwarding to present day, it seems that not all is well with the Bulls high-energy center. And according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, a source from Noah’s camp had this to say about the situation regarding his injury:

"“Jo’s [left] knee is going to be an issue all season. He has played through pain before with the plantar [fasciitis], but this is completely different, a different level.”"

If you are a Bulls fan, this is certainly not good news because Noah was the heart and soul of this team while Rose was sidelined for a good part of the last two seasons. That being said, this recent development raises a few interesting questions that should be considered with the regular season just around the corner.

How effective can Noah be at less than 100 percent?

During the team’s media day earlier this month, Noah stated that he hasn’t been 100 percent in years. No, that is not a misprint. The man said that it has been a number of years since he’s felt 100 percent.

In the past, injuries did not always prevent Noah from playing well when the team needed an extra gear. A good example of this is the first-round playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets in 2013. The Bulls had squandered a two-game lead and were faced with trying to win a Game 7 on the road.

This was no small task because the team had never accomplished this feat in the history of the franchise.

However, playing on one good leg, Noah helped will the Bulls to victory with a very memorable performance to say the least. He scored 24 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked six shots. In other words, Noah’s performance was exactly what the Bulls needed to advance to the next round.

On the flip side of the coin, Noah’s latest injury did seem to bother him to an extent. During the latter part of last season, Noah was not moving with the same lateral quickness that we were used to seeing, and the same statement can be made in regards to how he has played during training camp.

Being that Noah is still in the process of working himself back into form, one can only wonder how much impact this injury will have if it lingers on throughout the season.

Will Tom Thibodeau manage Noah’s minutes?

Noah has always been a high-energy player who does whatever is asked of him. After playing 20.7 and 24.2 minutes per game during his first two years in the league, Noah has not played less than 30 minutes per contest, including 36.8 and 35.3 minutes respectively over the past two years.

However, during the preseason, it has been a different story. In fact, Noah has averaged just 22 minutes per game, with the outlier being a 27-minute outing against the Atlanta Hawks on Oct. 16. And as a result of reduced playing time, Noah’s numbers have dropped off somewhat, as his averages include 5.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per outing.

But despite the fact the injury is not healing as fast as expected, Noah is pleased with where he’s at right now. And when he was asked about his thoughts on how the knee is progressing, Noah offered this assessment, per Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson:

"In the beginning I was a little bit more uncomfortable. I was a little limited. I still have to get my strength back in my leg. Just trying to manage practicing, playing. But overall I’m happy with where it’s at."

Based on those comments, it doesn’t appear that Noah is too concerned with returning to form at some point. However, in order for that to happen, Tom Thibodeau will need to do something he has not done very often during his tenure with the Bulls—monitor minutes for one of his starters.

That will not be an easy thing for coach Thibs because he has a history of leaning on his star players to the extent they are exhausted when the postseason rolls around. But that cannot be the case in this instance because having Noah playing at his best is almost as important as Rose returning to the lineup.

Did Noah’s lingering injury play a part in signing Pau Gasol?

When the Bulls were eliminated from the first round of the playoffs for the second time in three seasons, the primary focus was to acquire players who could help bolster their anemic offense. And as soon as the free-agency period began, they pursued Carmelo Antony.

This was an obvious choice because Anthony is one of the premier scorers in the league today. But in the end, Anthony decided to return to the New York Knicks, leaving the Bulls to search elsewhere.

And while the Bulls were disappointed with Anthony’s decision, they wasted little time in pursuing their next option—Pau Gasol. I cannot speak for everyone, but I have to say I was a bit curious by their desire for Gasol to say the least.

Obviously, Gasol is a skilled big man who can score, rebound and pass the ball with the best of them, which makes him an upgrade over former Bull Carlos Boozer. My concern was that Chicago already had a solid frontcourt and the front office had informed Taj Gibson—the team’s best fourth-quarter play last season, that he was being promoted to the starting lineup.

Taking that into consideration, I could not help but wonder  why Gasol became such a priority for the Bulls. However, in light of recent events pertaining to Noah’s injury, maybe, just maybe, there was more to this signing than we realized.

And although Gasol’s numbers have not been overly impressive during the preseason (10.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 40 FG%), having him on the roster will give Thibodeau flexibility as he tries to determine how often he can play Noah until his knee is fully healed.

Next: NBA Power Rankings: Regular Season Opener Edition