So, do you want a big man on the downside of a former All-Star career who played all of seven games last season, has had health issues and is owed $37.8 million over the next two years? If so, have the Knicks got a guy for you.
If the Knicks can’t find a taker for Joakim Noah, 33, the league’s 2014 defensive player of the year, or can’t get him to agree to a buyout, which was a plan met with resistance in the past, the team likely will use the waive and stretch provision to dump the veteran in September, league sources confirmed Wednesday.
The Knicks are exploring all options, hoping for a trade partner or the buyout. If not, however, the stretch provision “definitely” remains in play, sources said.
By using the stretch provision, the Knicks can spread out money owed to Noah over the next three years. Using it Sept. 1 or later would reduce Noah’s cap hit to $6.4 million and would save the Knicks $12.9 million toward the salary cap, according to ESPN.
When David Fizdale was named the Knicks’ new coach, there was a chance — a small one — of Noah remaining with the team. Now, that path seems nonexistent. Fizdale succeeded Jeff Hornacek, whose relationship with Noah was like brothers: Cain and Abel. The two had a heated verbal exchange during a game at Golden State over playing time and then had to be separated at a subsequent practice.
The Knicks tried unsuccessfully to trade Noah before the February deadline. Any team willing to take the contract wanted assets — young players with talent or draft picks — but the Knicks declined.
Noah has averaged 8.9 points and 9.3 rebounds in his 11 seasons, but only 4.6 points and 7.9 rebounds with the Knicks. Last season, he averaged 5.7 minutes — with 1.7 points and 2.0 rebounds.
He will go down as the costliest blunder in the horrendous run of former Knicks president Phil Jackson, who signed Noah for four years and $72 million. Noah was plagued by injuries and then was hit with a 20-game suspension by the NBA for using a banned substance. The suspension bridged the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.
The Knicks have incumbent starter Enes Kanter at center, return second-year guy Luke Kornet and are high on second-round draft pick Mitchell Robinson.
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