Joakim Noah is accepting a role coming off the bench for the Chicago Bulls, but he said that he didn't ask for it.

“I never said I want to come off the bench,” Noah said following Friday’s morning shootaround. “I said I’ll do what’s best for the team.” 

Fred Hoiberg told Zach Lowe that Noah approached him about coming off the bench.

“He said, basically, ‘I’ve always played well with Taj,’” Hoiberg said to Grantland.com. “He said he thought Niko (Mirotic) and Pau (Gasol) played very well together, so let’s go that route.” 

Noah is in a contract season.

“The truth is I think I’m more effective playing (center) than (power forward). And I think Pau is the same,” Noah said. “And we have two very good (power forwards). So this makes more sense.”