Top 25 NBA Free Agents 2016: Who Could Lakers Sign?

17. Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls (Unrestricted)

There are obviously always going to be divisive figures when it comes to free agency. There are players that some people like better than others, players that fit in certain places and roles but don’t fit quite as well into others, and of course there’s always the question of how much money any player is worth on the open market. Things become a lot more complicated, though, when you’re talking about someone like Chicago Bulls big man Joakim Noah.

At his peak, Noah was one of the most fearsome frontcourt players in the entire league—and that wasn’t entirely too long ago. Noah was obviously huge on the defensive end of the floor as an anchor on the interior that was able to block shots, garner steals, and bark out orders for his teammates. However, he was also valuable on the offensive end as a solid pick-and-roll player and as one of the most gifted passers as a big man in the NBA.

However, a litany of injuries and a ton of minutes early in his career have caught up to him as of late and he’s simply had a hard time staying on the floor. When he’s been on the floor, though, he’s also looked like a shell of himself. However, that potential of what he can be when healthy is still there and intriguing. For the Lakers, though, it honestly feels like too great of a risk for them to take and, though a guaranteed healthy Noah might be worth a loo, I see LA staying away.

Next: No. 16 Parsons