New York Knicks: 3 big questions heading into 2018-19 NBA season
3. What will become of the Joakim Noah situation?
The Phil Jackson era was a gloomy time for the Knicks. Yes, Kristaps Porzingis was drafted during that period. However, there wasn’t much else to get excited about during that time. Arguably the worst decision Jackson made was signing Joakim Noah.
Noah was signed to a four-year, $72 million deal. He was once a dominant defensive player but was two seasons removed from being an All-Star and his production and durability cratered in the two seasons leading up to free agency. It was a bad signing at the time and has only gotten worse.
What have the Knicks gotten for this investment so far? A total of 53 games played in two seasons, with averages of 4.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. Those are tough numbers to stomach when seeing Noah’s contract.
At this point in time, Noah remains a big question mark for the organization. He was banished from the team last season after a run-in with Jeff Hornacek. Will he be accepted back and given a chance to earn a spot in David Fizdale’s new rotation? Or will he be off the team by training camp?
Trading Noah would be ideal, but that is easier said than done. The Knicks should not use the stretch provision on Noah, as it will clog their future cap space. Waiting until next summer to waive him makes more sense.
It is something that New York will have to figure out. Earlier in the offseason, the Noah situation was named a failed offseason task, and rightfully so. Now, it is a big question for the organization heading into the season.