Joakim

Noah

Shams adds that Noah will retire as a Bull, so look for him to sign a temporary contract in the coming days. The two-time All-Star and Defensive player of the Year winner had quite the career, averaging 8.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 blocks across 13 seasons.

Noah played 13 seasons, made two All-Star teams and was a defensive beast, but injuries eventually wore him down. Good luck to him and his family in the future. Ivica Zubac and Serge Ibaka will likely split center minutes for the Clippers this season.

Harrell has yet to rejoin the team after losing a family member, and Williams is still going through quarantine, so the Clippers will need to lean more heavily on guys like Ivica Zubac, JaMychal Green and Landry Shamet for tomorrow’s game. Joakim Noah should also remain in the rotation, but he’s not a great fantasy option. Assuming Harrell is testing daily while away, he should only have a four-day quarantine period upon his return.

The Clippers are going to really miss Harrell and Williams, while it sounds like Beverley might be able to play. Ivica Zubac finally arrived in the bubble and played on Monday so he and Joakim Noah could be in line for close 25 minutes each on Thursday. JaMychal Green could also get some minutes at center, as well. If you’re feeling gutsy and want to dial up Noah or Zubac in DFS, it makes some sense, as they will almost certainly be close to minimum-salary options.

Noah, who started Wednesday’s exhibition win over the Magic and played 15 minutes, has long been lauded for his ability as a passer. His role, which could expand depending upon the status of Ivica Zubac (not in Orlando) and Montrezl Harrell (family emergency), is a bit different with the Clippers but Rivers had nothing but positive things to say about the veteran center. “He’s an elite passer. We already knew that,” Rivers said after Wednesday’s win. “What I love was the screening and rolling. He is so used to coming towards the ball and getting the ball, and we are asking him to do something completely different, and that’s screen-and-roll more. So he’s still getting used to it, but I thought today overall, he did a great job.” JaMychal Green will benefit more in the short-term with Zubac and Harrell away from the team, but Noah is worth keeping tabs on.

Noah got the start with both Montrezl Harrell (personal) and Ivica Zubac (still not in Orlando) unavailable, and he actually looked halfway decent despite having not played professionally in over a year. Still, JaMychal Green saw most of the five-man minutes, and Noah’s role will be further reduced once Trez returns to the team. He might be able to give them some decent spot minutes, but it’s unlikely he’ll be much of a factor in DFS.

Noah was signed to a contract that runs through the 2020-21 season (the second year isn’t guaranteed) in late June, and the feeling was that he would give the Clippers emergency depth beyond Ivica Zubac and Montrezl Harrell. But more could be asked of Noah when the team resumes play at the end of July, as the team has not commented on Zubac’s status (he did not travel to Orlando with the team in early July) and Harrell has left the bubble to attend to a family matter. And to this point Noah has made a positive impression on his teammates. “He’s played well this week,” guard Lou Williams said. “We’ve had a lot of competitive situations where he’s been able to show he’s a seasoned veteran in this game.” Noah’s biggest contributions will come as a defender and rebounder, which is unlikely to be enough to warrant rostering him when the games resume.

If this is an excused absence, Harrell will only have to quarantine for four days upon his return, but if he left without permission he could be quarantined a maximum of 14 days when he returns to the Bubble. Ivica Zubac still hasn’t arrived in Orlando, so it’s possible that Joakim Noah will be the Clippers’ only center for Wednesday’s scrimmage against the Magic. Hopefully, everything is okay with Trez and his family.

This move has been expected for a week, and Noah was supposed to join the Clippers just after the NBA had to suspend its season. The 35-year-old big man is likely just going to be emergency depth for the Clippers, assuming Montrezl Harrell can go right back to playing minutes in the 30s.

Noah is on a 10-day contract and those deals will all expire on June 23, so there will be plenty of activity around the league as the 22 teams resuming play fill out their rosters. Noah’s role will primarily be behind-the-scenes as a veteran mentor for Ivica Zubac and Montrezl Harrell, but it’s conceivable that he’ll be called upon for defense and rebounding.