5. Joakim Noah
As the LA Clippers progressed through a new era of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the front office signed a former All-Star, Joakim Noah. This acquisition appeared interesting with Noah’s age and limited mobility on both ends of the court. He was not the player he once was, but having a veteran presence in the paint could help the Clippers in certain areas.
However, Noah was previously selected to three All-Defensive teams and one All-NBA team. He had also won the 2013-14 Defensive Player of the Year award. He also brought a ridiculous amount of experience that any team could use when competing for a title.
That said, Noah failed to meet the expectations of what the coaching staff was looking for. He was constantly targeted at the rim and provided minimal offensive contributions. However, much of this was inevitable, considering the Clippers signed him at the age of 34.
In addition to playing an average of 10.0 minutes in five games for the Clippers, Noah posted 2.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists. This shows he was physically incapable of thriving for a championship-contending roster. Not to mention Noah hovered around nearly three personal fouls per contest.
Today’s basketball is played at a breakneck pace. After his first few games in a Clipper uniform, it was clear he wasn’t the answer for the backup center position. This left the front office with no choice but to shift their focus to other big men available on the market.