Joakim Noah dealt with knee surgery through the year and has undergone surgery in preparation for next season.
Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah underwent minor arthroscopic surgery in his left knee, the team officially announced. The Bulls expect him to rehab his knee during the off-season and placed an 8-to-12 week timetable on his recovery.
The 2014 Defensive Player of the Year averaged 42 minutes per game through the playoffs. Head coach Tom Thibodeau acknowledged the All-Star center was playing through knee pain through the second half of the season after Noah was visibly hobbled during Game 5 of the team's series against the Washington Wizards. Noah played 43 minutes in the elimination game despite being limited by his knee.
Noah underwent an MRI after the Bulls were eliminated from the playoffs and tests did not reveal any serious damage, but the team proceeded with surgery to clean up his knee. The timetable puts Noah in position to return to basketball activities by August, well before the regular season begins.