Report: Noah Says Contract Affected His Play
(CBS) It's no secret Joakim Noah got off to a slow start this season and the center says his contract extension had something to do with it.
In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Noah admitted the five-year, $60 million extension that kicked in this year affected his play.
"Yeah, no question, I thought about that," Noah told the newspaper. "Sometimes you feel like because you're given so much money you're expected to do things. That's not the right mentality to have as a player.
"I have to play my game. I have to have fun out there. If I don't, I'm not the same player."
Noah also said he "was going through a lot of things personally" at the beginning of the year, but did not give details. He has rebounded from his slow start with double-doubles in five straight games and appears to be back on track.
