The New Zealand Breakers are "trying to convince" Joakim Noah to play in the NBL next season, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times.

Leading the recruitment is Breakers owner Matt Walsh, who was a teammate of Noah's at the University of Florida.

The @NZBreakers are trying to convince Joakim Noah to play in Australia's @nbl next season, league sources say, with Breakers owner Matt Walsh -- Noah's former collegiate teammate -- leading the recruitment — Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 13, 2019

The No. 9 pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, Noah is a two-time All-Star, a one-time member of the All-NBA First Team and a one-time Defensive Player of the Year.

Noah spent last season in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies, where he averaged 7.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.7 blocks over 42 games. It was a bounce-back season of sorts for the 34-year-old after the New York Knicks opted to stretch the remaining $38 million on his contract in order to part ways with him prior to the start of the season.

"I’m just really happy that I had a team that believed in me and gave me a shot," Noah said prior to his debut with the Grizzlies. "It was a rough couple years in New York, so to be in this position right now, I’m not taking it for granted.”

Stein added that Noah has received interest from NBA teams this summer and that he is taking a "selective" approach about where he wants to play next season.

We currently have Noah as the third-best available centre in free agency.

The Breakers have already had a busy offseason, adding one of the top American high school prospects in R.J. Hampton to its roster. Hampton is currently projected to be a lottery pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.