The Golden State Warriors are looking to improve their already-formidable roster this summer. The Warriors are considered frontrunners in the race to sign Kevin Durant but could also pursue Joakim Noah when the free-agency period starts on Friday.
The Warriors, who lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals, will first make a strong push to sign Durant. The Oklahoma City Thunder superstar is also expected to sit down with the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat. If Durant signs elsewhere, the Warriors will focus on signing Noah, Basketball Insiders reported.
According to the report, the Warriors know they need to bolster their frontcourt rotation to improve their chances of reclaiming the title next season. Golden State suffered a lot in Games 5-7 of the NBA Finals when starting center Andrew Bogut went down with a knee injury.
Festus Ezeli and Anderson Varejao took Bogut's place in the rotation, but the Warriors sorely missed their starting center's presence on both ends of the floor. Adding Noah this summer makes sense, as both Ezeli and Varejao are also heading to free agency while Bogut could also sign elsewhere in 2017.
The report also added that Noah will be a good fit to the Warriors despite his recent injuries. His intensity on defense will be a huge boost, while his passing ability is perfect for the team known for sharing the ball well. However, the Warriors should make moves quick, as there are four teams who are also strongly interested in Noah.
According to Sporting News, the Washington Wizards, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks will also tender offers to the nine-year veteran this summer. The Chicago Bulls are also expected to reach out but a new deal between the two parties is highly unlikely.
Among the interested teams, the Wizards are reportedly the frontrunners. While Noah has declared that money will not be the main factor when he makes his decision, the Wizards are prepared to offer a maximum contract, which will give Noah $120 million in four years.
On the other hand, the Knicks and Timberwolves also have the inside track in the race. Former Bulls point guard Derrick Rose wants to recruit Noah, while current Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau wants to reunite with his former starting center. The Knicks and Timberwolves could offer starting role for Noah.
Watch Derrick Rose talks about playing with Noah in New York.