Report: Joakim Noah is happy for LeBron, but still hopes to 'kick his ass'

Joakim Noah is happy LeBron James gets to return home to Ohio, but the big news doesn't change the fact that the Bulls big man still wants to "kick his ass as many times as possible," he said in a report this week from K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.

Joakim Noah is happy LeBron James gets to return home to Ohio, but the big news doesn't change the fact that the Bulls big man still wants to "kick his ass as many times as possible," he said in a report this week from K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. 

In The Tribune, the 29-year-old reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year weighed in on James two weeks after the King penned an essay for SI.com in which he announced and explained his decision to leave the Miami Heat to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers:

“I'm happy for LeBron James,” Noah said, a sly smile forming. “He gets to go home. People are happy over there. But I really hope that we can kick his ass as many times as possible.”

The Bulls will look to rebound after being without former MVP Derrick Rose for the bulk of the last two years because of multiple knee surgeries. Chicago is said to be in the hunt for Timberwolves All-Star forward Kevin Love, but Love is reportedly likely to end up playing for the Cavaliers next season in a potential deal that would send rookie Andrew Wiggins packing for Minnesota. 

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- Marc Weinreich