Clippers to waive Joakim Noah; retirement likely

As was expected following news of Reggie Jackson‘s return earlier Tuesday, the Clippers will waive backup center Joakim Noah, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

What is a bit less expected, however, is that Noah is “likely headed toward retirement,” Noah’s agent at BDA Sports, Bill Duffy, told Wojnarowski. Even though the 35-year-old center struggled during his lone Los Angeles season, he had a productive run as a reserve big man with the Grizzlies during the 2018-19 season.

“What an illustrious career for Joakim,” Duffy commented (Twitter link). Noah won NCAA championships with the Florida Gators in 2006 and 2007. After being drafted by the Bulls with the No. 9 pick, Noah went on to make two All-Star teams and help lead a culture change in Chicago, transforming the Bulls into an energetic, defensive-first behemoth. His crowning individual accolade was being named Defensive Player of the Year for the 2013-14 season. Overall, Noah was a three-time All-Defensive Team selection.

Noah signed a lucrative four-year, $72 million deal with his hometown Knicks during the free agency boom of 2016. The union was ultimately cut short ahead of the 2018-19 season, when New York opted to waive and stretch the rest of Noah’s deal. The Knicks will be paying him $6.4 million during both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, as Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News tweets.

Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets that this latest move means that the Clippers now have 13 guaranteed deals on their books, and currently find themselves a crucial $2.2 million below the league’s restrictive hard cap.