Clippers sign Joakim Noah for remainder of season

He hasn’t played a single game for the Clippers, but he’s already been signed by the team twice. On Saturday morning, the Clippers signed Noah to a deal that will keep him with the team throughout the remainder of the season.

Yesterday it was announced that all players who were on 10 Day contracts will be free agents when the season resumes.

Back on March, prior to the NBA season being suspended, the Clippers originally signed Noah to a 10-day contract. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Noah was expected to join the Clippers the following week at some point, and likely finish out the season with the team. Then, the pandemic hit and the Clippers never got a chance to see how Noah would fit with their team. Now is their chance.

Noah last appeared in a game on March 23, 2019 with the Memphis Grizzlies. Overall, he’s played in only 191 games since the start of the 2014 season, as he’s battled a number of injuries. He appeared in 42 games during the 2018-2019 campaign for Memphis, and overall put up some quality numbers.

In 16 minutes a game, Noah averaged 7.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists. That’s not quite the production from when he was an All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year, but the Clippers will be more than happy to get those numbers from Noah. He’ll serve as a backup center to Ivica Zubac, and will really come in handy should something happen to Montrezl Harrell.

Noah has always played with a chip on his shoulder, and brings that tough tenacity to a Clippers team already loaded with it. He likely won’t be playing more than 10 minutes a game, but if Noah can be a rim protector and add some toughness during his brief time on the court, it will be a huge pickup for the Clippers.