Joakim Noah says LeBron is the enemy

The Chicago Bulls will have the cap space to sign a max free agent this summer. While it is widely believed that the Bulls will target Chicago native Dwyane Wade this off-season, LeBron James could be a fringe possibility as well. However, there is a strong possibility that LeBron’s Cavaliers will face the Bulls in the playoffs before the summer comes.

Chicago is currently a half-game behind Toronto for the final playoff spot in the East. If the Bulls manage to overtake the Raptors, they will face off against the Cavaliers in the first round.

Bulls center Joakim Noah is aware of all of this, and made it clear that he thinks of LeBron as an “enemy” right now, not a potential recruit. According to Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago, Noah said the following after Thursday morning’s shootaround:

“Let’s talk about that after the season, but I think right now he’s not my friend. He’s the enemy right now. I don’t want to give him too much homage.”

Noah and LeBron got into a dancing-related altercation earlier in the season, but Noah said he has “moved past” the incident and “doesn’t hold any grudges.” The Cavaliers and Bulls are set to play against each other tonight. The game means nothing to the Cavaliers in terms of playoff positioning or seeding, but is an extremely important game for the Bulls. After this game, the Bulls finish their season with a game against the Nets, a vital game against the Raptors, and games against the Celtics and Bobcats to finish up the season.