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Joakim Noah could be reliable center in Los Angeles with the Lakers

By Keith Rivas

May 12, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (13) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game five of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
May 12, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (13) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game five of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Now that Joakim Noah seems officially headed out of Chicago, it’s time for Los Angeles to make a move.

According to an article posted by Bleacher Report, Joakim Noah doesn’t plan to stick around with the Bulls heading into next season.

Despite this season being a trying one for Noah, coming to Los Angeles would be a perfect chance for the veteran center to finish his career strong.

Based on what we’ve seen from the centers that Los Angeles has to offer, Noah would definitely be an upgrade.

Roy Hibbert, Robert Sacre, and Tarik Black don’t seem to be the kind of players that the Lakers could really build around in the long-term, anyway.

Hibbert’s flaws at the position only got worse after coming to the Lakers after seven seasons in Indiana, and the other two players on the roster to fill in the crucial role of a big man haven’t exactly proven themselves.

The former Pacers star went from averaging double digits in terms of points per game and being effective on the boards to not-so-helpful in purple and gold.

And while Hibbert had a lot of hype before playing a game with Los Angeles, that all clearly turned into nothing special.

Noah, on the other hand, just needs the right environment.

While the front office issues seem to be at the forefront of an unofficial move by Noah, spending nearly a decade with the same franchise is a big decision to turn away from.

In terms of room for concern, injury is the biggest x-factor up for consideration by the Los Angeles front office.

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This past season in Chicago provided Noah with the humbling position of a bench player instead of a starter along with a season-ending shoulder surgery.

In the five seasons before the 2015-16 campaign, Noah had only played in two games that he hadn’t been a starter in — last year saw him only start twice.

Playing for the Lakers would get him back in the starter role in the hopeful resurrection of a career.

Should all go as the Lakers hope and expect, DeMar DeRozan could become the next household name in purple and gold alongside the already-established young core and eventual draft pick.

Noah’s role would be filling in the final blanks, possibly making the Lakers dangerous right away.

Tarik Black is the only Lakers center that really should get the benefit of the doubt because of a lack of time in the league and the continued development of his game — but even then, he’s probably best served as a backup.

Having Black being the understudy of Noah would give the Lakers an immediate presence under a veteran while preparing for the future with Black or another player hopefully taking the lead down the road.

Next: Yasiel Puig Gets Benched For Lack Of Effort

If the Lakers can make this a reality, they’ll be able to hopefully compete for at least a playoff spot sooner rather than later.

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