Joakim Noah won’t return to Knicks until further notice
Joakim Noah of the New York Knicks against the Portland Trail Blazers at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 27, 2017. Credit: Jim McIsaac
MILWAUKEE — Joakim Noah will not be back with the Knicks until further notice, according to a team official, who said it was “a mutual decision.”
“That’s something that’s been decided,” Jeff Hornacek said Friday morning. “We have to move on with the guys we have right now and see what happens going forward.”
A league source said the Knicks and Noah’s representatives spoke Wednesday and that the veteran center will be away from the team until at least the trade deadline on Thursday.
Noah may have played his last game for the Knicks. They have been trying to move him, but his contract is an albatross. The oft-injured Noah is in the second season of a four-year, $72-million deal.
Noah has been gone from the Knicks for more than a week for what originally was called “personal reasons.” He and Hornacek reportedly got into a heated argument at practice in Denver last week, and Noah was sent away.
The prideful Noah was unhappy that he played only 4:31 against the Warriors when the Knicks were without Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle O’Quinn. The Knicks haven’t suspended Noah, which means he’s still getting paid. He has appeared in only seven games this season.
“All guys want to play,” Hornacek said. “It’s just the situation our team is at right now. We’re trying to figure out solutions. Someday that will happen.”
The Knicks have four centers — Enes Kanter, O’Quinn, Willy Hernangomez and Noah. With the trade deadline approaching, the Knicks have been making and fielding calls and would like to lighten the glut at the center position. Hernangomez also is out of the rotation.
To get a team to take Noah off their hands, the Knicks could include a young player in the deal, but it’s highly unlikely that they would part with their first-round pick.
The Knicks could decide to buy out Noah, but there could be a stalemate if he isn’t willing to give back much of his guaranteed money.
If the Knicks stretch his contract over five years, that would put Noah on the cap for roughly $7.5 million a year through 2023, which would cut into their cap space and affect their ability to sign free agents.
The Knicks are expected to explore all options before it comes to that.
“It’s the stage that we’re at,” Hornacek said. “It’s tough. It’s tough on everybody. What we’re trying to do as a team is to try to grow the young guys, give them opportunities.
“Jo wants to play. Maybe he’ll get a chance at some point with us or another team. He’s not done for sure. When you got four centers, it’s hard.”
Noah was signed by former president Phil Jackson, who believed he would be perfect for the triangle offense and give them the defensive presence they needed inside. It hasn’t worked out.
He played only 46 games last season, limited by injuries, surgeries and a 20-game suspension for violating the league’s anti-drug policy. He served 12 games of the suspension this season.
“I think he did a great job of getting back in shape and preparing his body for this year, but there was just no place for him really, I guess, in the coach’s eyes,” Porzingis said. “Now there is the business side of it and we’ll see what happens with that.”
Porzingis believes Noah still can help a team.
“Definitely,” he said. “He looked great. He looked great in practices, to me at least. He looked great. He worked hard. He looked healthy. For sure, even the minutes he played, he did well for us. I’m 100 percent sure if he wants to go somewhere else or whatever happens, I don’t know what would happen, but he could be valuable for another team.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
