There's no one more excited to get back into the swing of things than Joakim Noah. The veteran center, who joined the Los Angeles Clippers only a handful of days before the league came to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic, signed a 10-day deal with hopes to remain in the roster for the remainder of the season.
The Clippers have had one major question all season long — who plays at center if Montrezl Harrell gets hurt?
They now have their answer in Noah, who has been itching to step onto the NBA hardwood for the first time since March 2019 as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies.
“I mean, let’s f***ing go,” a jovial Noah told Jovan Buha of The Athletic. “Let’s fucking go! This is what it’s all about. I think that it’s different for teams who don’t have a chance, but for teams who have a chance, these opportunities don’t … I mean, we trust the league and we know that you know (NBA commissioner) Adam (Silver) is — I don’t think he’ll put the players’ health in jeopardy. He’s somebody who has shown time and time again that he’s the best commissioner in sports. … So I think as players we feel safe.
“There’s nobody I would want to do this with more than with the Clippers.”
Noah had been out of the picture for roughly a year, waiting for the call to join an NBA team. He received it in March, but he's had to wait longer to put on a Clippers' uniform.
Most importantly, his team has a chance to make a deep postseason run, already boasting superstar cogs that can go the distance. The way Noah sees it, staying ready was key to sticking around in the league:
“I knew that if I didn’t train and the day came that the Clippers would call and I wasn’t ready, I would have a lot of regrets,” he said. “And it’s what kept me training is that hope of making this team. It wasn’t about the money. It wasn’t about any of that.
“It was about being able to finish my career on a team that has a common goal.”
The Clippers now look as scary as ever, with two All-NBA defenders in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, as well as a former Defensive Player of the Year looking to make his minutes count.
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