May 27--Rule No. 1 of NBA free-agency states that money rules, influencing any and every decision a player makes when evaluating offers from prospective teams.
Rule No. 2 says never allow yourself to become gullible enough to forget Rule No. 1.
If Joakim Noah leaves the Bulls as many have expected since his injury-plagued season ended in January, it will be because the Bulls and Noah differ over his value at this stage of the 31-year-old's career -- not because of Noah's perceived differences with the front office.
Whatever issues Noah may or may not have with general manager Gar Forman, a rift the Sun-Times suggested as the main reason he wants to move on, if Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and executive vice president John Paxson allocate the money to extend Noah his highest offer, nobody will go anywhere. It's business.
Regardless of the state of any personal relationships, Noah will feel professionally respected based on the Bulls' contract proposal. White Sox pitcher Chris Sale, who publicly clashed with executive vice president Ken Williams in spring training, became the latest professional athlete to mock the idea that today's players must get along with management.
Granted, the Noah-stays-home scenario seems unlikely with the NBA salary-cap expanding thanks to the influx of television revenue creating a market even for centers coming off shoulder surgery and a career-low 4.3 points per game average. But that would be the case with or without front-office friction.
Just like pitcher Jake Arrieta said he had no plans to give the Cubs a hometown discount, nobody expects Noah to settle for less money to stay in town. Remember, it's the NBA, where the Lakers just paid center Roy Hibbert $15.5 million to average 5.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Speaking of the Lakers, they will have more salary-cap space than any team in the league and still need a center.
Thus the bidding for Noah could go higher than the Bulls are willing to pay an aging center for leadership, Noah's greatest asset on a team looking to get younger and more athletic.
Nobody needs to manufacture drama to understand the Bulls are on the brink of change this summer. Firing Derrick Rose confidant Jen Swanson, the director of sports performance, which the Tribune reported last week, represented a move symbolic of that shift. After a 42-40 season, the only thing the Bulls can rule out is the status quo.
