Joakim Noah will have the pin removed from his injured right thumb next week, after which he'll begin the rehabilitation process.

He had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb on Dec. 16 with a timetable of eight to ten weeks for his return.

"It's been long and sometimes frustrating not being able to be out there with my teammates," Noah said. "Physically, I feel pretty good. I've been doing a lot of cardio and working out. I feel strong and I'll be ready to get back and help the team."

Noah plans to test the hand soon after the pin is removed, but he won't rush back or set a solid return date.

Exactly 10 weeks from his surgery is Feb. 24, when the Bulls will face the Heat.

"I'm just trying to control what I can control right now," said Chicago's center. "I'm all about getting this pin out of my finger and getting my hand back to 100 percent. Hopefully it's before that because I would love to play in that game."