With Joakim Noah set to return soon and trade rumors already swirling, the early season chemistry of the new-look New York Knicks must be protected.
It’s not the same ol’ story for the New York Knicks anymore. No longer is the star player feuding with the team president or holding a city hostage. Likewise, the front office is actually outperforming expectations in both management and public relations.
The duo of Kristaps Porzingis and Frank Ntilikina is special in both tangible and intangible ways. Winning solves all issues in New York, but often leads to exaggeration and overreaction. Even so, the product on the court and the overall feel of this team is unlike anything New York fans have felt in years.
Factor in the calming influence of Jarrett Jack with a roster full of players focused on proving themselves and you have a legitimate basketball team. Jeff Hornacek has his main rotation working very well together and there is no reason to change anything right now.
Yet, Joakim Noah comes back soon (his suspension is up for the team’s Nov. 13 game against the Cleveland Cavaliers) and someone on the current roster will be sent away. According to Ian Begley of ESPN, Ramon Sessions and Mindaugas Kuzminskas appear to be the most likely candidates on the cutting room floor.
Whoever they choose, Steve Mills and Scott Perry must take great care in not upsetting the current team chemistry.
No mathematical formula exists that is capable of measuring the impact of Kristaps Porzingis on the New York Knicks. The emergence of Ntilikina and Enes Kanter only add to that equation. With all that being said, change is inevitable and the Knicks must be very careful moving forward.
Joakim Noah is an energetic player who is open to a supporting role on this team. However, the former Florida Gator is highly emotional and represents a new risk to team chemistry.
Learn to live with Noah
Last summer, Phil Jackson signed Joakim Noah to a puzzling four-year, $72 million contract. Consequently, Noah isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Aside from the horrible contract, injury history and declining statistics, Noah is a great addition to any team.
Upon his return to the Knicks, there is no reason to think he should see any playing time whatsoever. Noah should be nothing more than a large paperweight for his bloated contract. He lacks the offensive ability of Kyle O’Quinn and Willy Hernangomez. Plus, team defense has been better than expected, so Noah’s defensive prowess isn’t a pressing need anymore.
Yet, even though Noah should stay on the bench, it is very likely he won’t. The Knicks want to trade Noah but his declining ability and large contract make him nearly untradable. If Steve Mills wants to trade Noah, other NBA teams need a reason to give up assets for him. Therefore, Noah will likely take playing time away from O’Quinn, Hernangomez and even Enes Kanter.
As the Knicks prepare for Joakim Noah’s return, they’ve talk to teams about trades involving Mindaugas Kuzminskas: https://t.co/Oi00kjcgSe
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) November 7, 2017
In the process of building up the value of Joakim Noah (and others), Jeff Hornacek must be very careful to keep team chemistry intact.
Porzingis is playing at an All-NBA level right now and his best friend on the team is Hernangomez. No matter what, the Knicks simply have to do everything in their power to keep KP happy. If keeping him happy means sitting Noah and playing Willy, so be it.
Keep on keeping on
The NBA regular season is an ebb and flow of various roster decisions for every team. Many of those decisions go unnoticed or drowned out by trades, injuries and highlights. However, when the New York Knicks are winning (or even competing), every single transaction possibility becomes news.
Joakim Noah is a professional and by all accounts, a great teammate. It is highly unlikely that his personality will cause any locker room issues upon his return. Furthermore, another veteran voice in the huddle won’t hurt. But on the court, chemistry is a totally different ballgame.
Spacing on offense is extremely important and has made all the difference in the world for Kristaps Porzingis this season. Unfortunately, Noah does nothing to improve spacing when on the court. His lack of shooting ability and free throw shooting woes also make him a liability in end-of-game situations.
Joakim Noah won’t upset team chemistry in the locker room, but he could wreck it on the court. If Hornacek forces Noah into the lineup, he risks undoing all the progress and growth made this season.
Whether the New York Knicks discovered this positive team chemistry on purpose or not, there is no doubt it exists. Every person on the team and in the front office is responsible for keeping that chemistry intact.
Next: 2017-18 Week 4 NBA Power Rankings
The imminent return of Joakim Noah is the first roadblock to where this young team really wants to be this season.