Knicks Notes: Noah, Hernangomez, Rose, Anthony

Knicks fans are getting their first look at Joakim Noah, who joined the team as a free agent this summer, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN.com. Noah, who has missed most of the preseason with a sore left hamstring, is expected to play about 20 minutes in tonight’s home game with the Celtics. New York gave the 31-year-old center a four-year, $72MM contract this summer after his final season in Chicago was cut short by shoulder surgery.

There’s more news out of New York:

• Spanish prospect Willy Hernangomez is making a strong push to be the Knicks’ backup center, according to Begley (Twitter link). Coach Jeff Hornacek says Hernangomez has looked good in the preseason and he will try to find minutes for him once the regular season starts. New York drafted Hernangomez in 2015, and he played with Real Madrid last season before agreeing to join the Knicks this summer.
• The Knicks won’t be sending an assistant coach to Los Angeles to accompany Derrick Rose during his civil trial, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. The original plan was to have an assistant provide Rose with basketball updates until the trial is over, but Hornacek said Rose talked him out of that idea during a phone conversation Thursday. “I talked to him — he said he’s following the games, checking that out,’’ Hornacek said. “I’m hoping he comes back as soon as he can. You hope it’s coming to a conclusion here soon. He exercises on his own. If he lost any of that conditioning from training camp, he’s going to have to get it back.” Rose has missed three games and six practices since the trial began. It appears that it may end Tuesday, with jury deliberations on Wednesday, which means Rose may be back for a preseason game or two next week.
• Hornacek says the Knicks’ influx of talent means Carmelo Anthony won’t have to carry the offense every game, Begley relays. “He’s at a point where he knows what it’s going to be for our team to win, and that’s not going to be him shooting it every time or trying to do that,” Hornacek said. “There are going to be times when, yes [he carries the Knicks]. But he feels very comfortable, I think, with his teammates right now.”