Joakim Noah
The Washington Wizards are all out of healthy centers and the free-agent market at this point in the season is slim pickings. There’s a reason that none of the guys still floating around have been signed this season. But then again, you could have said that about Carmelo Anthony until recently, and he just won Player of the Week with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Among less than ideal options, Joakim Noah is one of the better free-agent centers still available. He’s certainly not the player he was back in 2014 when he won Defensive Player of the Year and was named All-NBA. But Noah is a capable big, even at 34 years old.
After joining the Memphis Grizzlies in December of 2018, Noah played 42 games over the remainder of last season. He averaged 7.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks per game in 16.5 minutes.
Per Basketball-Reference, Noah’s 0.7 blocks per game last year would currently rank second on the Wizards. His 5.7 rebounds would rank him second in that category, too. And the 105 defensive ratings he had last season would rank first among all Wizards players this season. Currently, Chris Chiozza leads all WIzards with an 111 defensive rating, followed Moritz Wagner’s 113.
Noah’s recent production is a far cry from what he was doing during the Chicago Bulls runs alongside Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, and Jimmy Butler. However, on a Wizards team that needs help on defense and on the boards, Noah could be a great fit.