Last Updated on May 26, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Joakim Noah’s contract history is one of the more fascinating financial timelines of the 2010s NBA because it combines elite defensive success, major franchise-level extensions, injury-related decline, and one of the league’s most criticized free-agent contracts. From his rise with the Chicago Bulls to his controversial $72 million deal with the New York Knicks, Noah’s contracts reflected both his peak value as a Defensive Player of the Year center and the risks teams faced when investing heavily in aging big men during the salary-cap boom era.

What makes Joakim Noah contract history especially notable is how sharply his career trajectory changed financially. At his peak with Chicago, Noah was viewed as one of the NBA’s best defensive anchors and one of the league’s most respected leaders. By 2016, however, injuries had already begun limiting his availability, yet the Knicks still committed four years and more than $72 million to him in one of the biggest signings of that offseason. (ESPN)

Joakim Noah Contract Agreements (As Signed)

This table tracks each major contract event as Joakim Noah and his NBA teams agreed to them at the time: rookie contract, extensions, free-agent signings, waivers, and retirement.

DATE AGE TEAM CONTRACT MOVE REPORTED TERMS SEASONS AFFECTED CLAUSES / OPTIONS DETAILED NOTES
June 28, 2007 22 Chicago Bulls Drafted 9th overall Selected in 2007 NBA Draft Draft rights First-round selection The Bulls drafted Noah after back-to-back NCAA championships at Florida. (Spotrac)
July 24, 2007 22 Chicago Bulls Signed rookie-scale contract 2 years, approximately $4.43 million guaranteed initially under rookie scale 2007-08 onward Team options for years three and four Noah entered the NBA as part of Chicago’s post-dynasty rebuild. (Spotrac)
October 24, 2008 23 Chicago Bulls Team option exercised 2009-10 rookie option picked up 2009-10 Rookie option year Chicago retained Noah as his defensive value rapidly improved. (Spotrac)
October 26, 2009 24 Chicago Bulls Team option exercised 2010-11 rookie option picked up 2010-11 Final rookie option year Noah emerged into one of the NBA’s top rebounding and defensive centers. (Spotrac)
October 3, 2010 25 Chicago Bulls Rookie extension signed 5 years, $60 million 2011-12 to 2015-16 Long-term extension Chicago locked Noah into a major extension after his breakout defensive development. (Spotrac)
May 6, 2014 29 Chicago Bulls Named Defensive Player of the Year No direct contract change 2013-14 season Major league award Noah’s peak value came during his DPOY season when he also finished fourth in MVP voting.
July 8, 2016 31 New York Knicks Signed as unrestricted free agent 4 years, $72.6 million 2016-17 to 2019-20 Fully guaranteed veteran contract The Knicks aggressively pursued Noah despite mounting injury concerns. (ESPN)
March 25, 2017 32 New York Knicks Suspended 20 games Lost salary from suspension 2016-17 and 2017-18 NBA anti-drug policy violation Noah forfeited significant salary after testing positive for a banned substance. (Spotrac)
October 13, 2018 33 New York Knicks Waived via stretch provision Remaining contract stretched over multiple years 2018 onward Stretch provision applied The Knicks stretched Noah’s remaining salary-cap hit to create future cap space. (NBA)
December 4, 2018 33 Memphis Grizzlies Signed as unrestricted free agent 1 year, $1.73 million 2018-19 Veteran minimum structure Noah revitalized his career somewhat with Memphis after leaving New York. (Spotrac)
March 9, 2020 35 Los Angeles Clippers Signed 10-day contract Veteran minimum deal 2019-20 Short-term contract Noah joined the Clippers late in the season as veteran frontcourt depth. (Spotrac)
December 2020 35 Retired Retired from professional basketball Career earnings exceeded $145 million End of career Former DPOY and All-NBA center Noah retired after 13 NBA seasons.

Joakim Noah NBA Salaries by Season (Actual Salary Paid)

This table tracks Joakim Noah’s salary by NBA season, showing the progression from rookie-scale contract to franchise-level veteran money and later-career veteran deals.

SEASON AGE SALARY CUMULATIVE CAREER EARNINGS CONTRACT PHASE
2007-08 22 $1,917,720 $1,917,720 Rookie contract
2008-09 23 $2,061,840 $3,979,560 Rookie contract
2009-10 24 $2,449,320 $6,428,880 Rookie option year
2010-11 25 $3,128,536 $9,557,416 Final rookie year
2011-12 26 $11,270,000 $20,827,416 Bulls extension
2012-13 27 $11,300,000 $32,127,416 Bulls extension
2013-14 28 $11,100,000 $43,227,416 Bulls extension
2014-15 29 $12,200,000 $55,427,416 Bulls extension
2015-16 30 $13,400,000 $68,827,416 Final Bulls season
2016-17 31 $17,000,000 $85,827,416 Knicks contract
2017-18 32 $17,765,000 $103,592,416 Knicks contract
2018-19 33 $19,295,000* $122,887,416 Knicks stretch + Memphis deal
2019-20 34 $19,295,000* $142,182,416 Knicks stretch + Clippers deal
TOTAL $142,182,416 $142,182,416 13 NBA seasons

*Includes stretched salary obligations from the Knicks after his release.

Analysis

Joakim Noah’s contract history can largely be divided into three phases: developmental Bulls years, peak defensive-star years, and injury-affected late-career years.

The first phase covered Noah’s emergence in Chicago. Initially viewed as an energy player and rebounder, he rapidly evolved into one of the NBA’s best defensive centers. By 2010, the Bulls believed strongly enough in his development to sign him to a five-year, $60 million extension that became one of the better-value contracts in the league during his prime seasons. (Spotrac)

The second phase represented Noah’s peak value. During the 2013-14 season, he won Defensive Player of the Year, made First Team All-NBA, and finished fourth in MVP voting. At that point, Noah was widely considered one of the league’s most impactful defensive players and emotional leaders.

The defining financial storyline of his career, however, became the 2016 Knicks contract. New York committed four years and more than $72 million to Noah despite significant durability concerns. Injuries, suspension issues, and declining mobility quickly turned the deal into one of the NBA’s most criticized contracts of the era. (ESPN)

Even so, Noah’s overall career earnings still exceeded $140 million, reflecting how highly the NBA valued elite defensive centers during the early-to-mid 2010s. His career remains one of the clearest examples of how quickly player valuation can shift once injuries begin affecting availability and athleticism.

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