Player profile: Joakim Noah

Role for Bulls in 2010-'11: The anchor. Noah is the emotional leader for the Bulls. He is expected to be the centerpiece of Tom Thibodeau's new defense. The biggest reason the team has not pulled the trigger on a deal for Carmelo Anthony is because it truly believes that Noah will become an All-Star this season and continue his progression as one of the best centers in the league. Expect Thibodeau to lean on the 25-year-old heavily this year alongside Derrick Rose. He expects Noah to play the same kind of role, at least on the defensive end, that Kevin Garnett played in Boston.

"Your back line people, they see everything, everything's in front of them, so their communication is critical," Thibodeau said after Tuesday night's practice. "It gives the guards and perimeter players a head start on what's coming. So we want them to call out the action and the coverage so everyone gets onto the same page."

[...]

Best-case scenario: Noah signs his deal and the speculation surrounding his future in Chicago subsides. He stays healthy all year and continues to build upon the big numbers he put up a season ago (11 points and 11 rebounds) becoming an All-Star for the first time. After spending countless hours in the gym, his offensive game improves and he becomes another threat down low with Carlos Boozer. The pair, along with Luol Deng, combines to form one of the best front lines in the Eastern Conference and gives Orlando, Miami and Boston a run in the playoffs.