Bulls start contract extension talks with Noah Options

[Balta1701-B]

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Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah wants to sign a long-term deal with the team and hopes to have one done before the season begins in October.

Noah said his agent, Donald Dell, has already started discussing the parameters of a deal with Bulls general manager Gar Forman and the 25-year-old is confident the parties can work something out in the near future.

"Of course that's the goal," he told ESPNChicago.com after a charity event for his Noah's Arc Foundation in Queens on Friday night. "I'm not really worried about it. I think everything's going to happen with time and at the end of the day, I'm really excited about the upcoming season."

[rockren]

I wonder if Noah's camp is pointing at Andrew Bynum's '08 contract (3yr/42 mil, team option on 4th year for 16mil).

The only way I would sign him before this year's deadline, if I were the Bulls, is if Jo would take considerably less than what Bynum got. I know he won't, but it's a stance the Bulls have to take considering a new CBA is looming and Jo is a restricted FA anyway, where the Bulls could match ANY offer.

If a 5yr/50mil can be worked out and both sides were to agree...I could live with that.