New York Knicks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Joakim Noah Receives 20-Game Suspension

March 25th, 2017 at 10:01am CST by Luke Adams

March 25, 10:02am: The NBA formally announced Noah’s suspension, noting that he tested positive for Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator LGD-4033 (link). Contrary to last night’s report, Noah’s suspension will begin with the first regular season or playoff game for which Noah is “eligible and physically ready to play.” Depending on Noah’s health status, the 32-year-old may wind up serving all 20 games in 2017/18.

March 25, 12:09am: Knicks center Joakim Noah will receive a 20-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. According to Wojnarowski, the league intends to announce the ban on Saturday.

League sources tell Wojnarowski that Noah tested positive for an over-the-counter supplement that is not permitted under the league’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement. The players’ union investigated the matter and concluded that Noah hadn’t “knowingly or willingly” violated the policy, having fully cooperated with the NBA’s probe, Wojnarowski writes.

The Knicks only have 10 games left in the 2016/17 season, so Noah will serve half of his suspension this season before sitting out 10 more games to start the 2017/18 campaign. The 32-year-old underwent a left knee arthroscopy about a month ago and was expected to miss most – if not all – of the rest of the season anyway. With New York out of playoff contention, the suspension won’t affect the team in the coming weeks. However, it could have an impact on next year’s roster and rotation for the first few weeks of the season.

Noah is finishing up the first year of a massive four-year, $72MM contract that he signed with the Knicks last July. The 20-game suspension will cost him a modest portion of his salary for both this season and next season.

Knicks Rumors: Carmelo, Rose, Jennings, Plumlee

March 23rd, 2017 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

After a confusing and disappointing 2016/17 season that saw the Knicks mixing and matching the triangle offense with Jeff Hornacek‘s more fast-paced system, the team will head into next season focused solely on the triangle. And that means that one or two members of the club’s “big three” may not be back.

As Marc Berman of The New York Post and Frank Isola of The New York Daily News detail, Hornacek didn’t come right out and say that players like Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose, who aren’t particularly fond of the triangle, won’t be Knicks next season. However, he hinted that those veterans may have to change their views on the triangle — otherwise, Phil Jackson and GM Steve Mills “will look at other guys.”

Asked about the Knicks’ offense, Anthony admits that he liked the faster and more free-flowing approach that the team had earlier in the season, per Berman. “We kind of slowed down, started settling it down,” Anthony said. “Not as fast. The pace slowed down for us — something we had to make an adjustment on the fly with limited practice time, in the course of a game. Once you get into the season, it’s hard to readjust a whole system.”

Rose is an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, so – triangle or no triangle – there’s a decent chance he’ll land elsewhere. As for Anthony, his aversion to Jackson’s system is one reason why the Knicks have considered moving him, but he’ll have to waive his no-trade clause for a deal to happen.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Although he has suggested in the past that he’ll seek a lucrative contract in free agency, Rose said on Wednesday that he’s “not even thinking money” as his free agency approaches, according to Berman. “I’ve got more than enough money saved. If I stopped playing basketball now, I’ll be alright. I want to win,” Rose said. “I want to be happy and feel at peace with myself wherever I’m at. But being at the negotiating table, you never know. I’m not going to negotiate with people where money is the No. 1 thing I’m asking for.”
Now a member of the Wizards, Brandon Jennings spoke to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News about why things didn’t work out for him in New York. One major factor? “I didn’t really understand the triangle,” Jennings said. “I think that was my biggest thing. I really didn’t understand it.”
With the Knicks taking a longer look at their young players down the stretch, rookie big man Marshall Plumlee will see more minutes. As Berman writes for The Post, Plumlee is hopeful that he can carve out a role as an effective defender and rebounder off the bench.

Derrick Rose's FA Value Hard To Pin Down

March 23rd, 2017 at 12:26pm CST by Luke Adams

In a video for The Vertical, Bobby Marks and Chris Mannix identify Knicks point guard Derrick Rose and Celtics big man Kelly Olynyk as two free agents whose value is very hard to pin down. Mannix suggests he wouldn’t commit to Rose for more than one or two years, while the duo agrees that Olynyk will likely command an annual salary worth at least $10MM, a substantial price to pay for a player whose production has been inconsistent.

New York Rumors: Nets, KCP, Goodwin, Knicks

March 22nd, 2017 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst wrote last week that the Nets are expected to be “major players” this summer for restricted free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. This week, Brian Lewis of The New York Post confirms Brooklyn’s interest in the Pistons sharpshooter, writing that the Nets will likely make KCP a “top priority” in the offseason.

“I’m impressed,” Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson said of Caldwell-Pope. “I love how he competes, how he competes on the defensive end. That’s really the essence of what I see when I watch him play. He plays with force, he competes on the defensive end.”

It remains to be seen if the Pistons will be open to a maximum-salary contract for Caldwell-Pope, but that may be what it takes to retain him. With KCP’s Bird rights in hand, Detroit can offer more years and more money than any other team and will have the chance to match any offer. Still, it sounds like the Nets will put plenty of pressure on the Pistons, dipping back into the restricted free agent market after striking out last summer on Allen Crabbe and Tyler Johnson.

Here’s more out of New York:

Former first-round pick Archie Goodwin, who is on a 10-day contract with the Nets, tells NetsDaily that he hopes to stick around in Brooklyn for much longer than those 10 days.
Carmelo Anthony said on Tuesday that Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek informed the team that he plans to start reducing minutes for some veteran players down the stretch. As Newsday’s Al Iannazzone details, the Knicks want to assess some of their younger players to determine whether or not they have a future with the club.
Former Knicks head coach Derek Fisher appeared on The Vertical’s podcast this week and spoke to Adrian Wojnarowski about what led to the end of his time in New York. Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News has some of the quotes from Fisher, who admits that his fight with Matt Barnes hurt his standing with the Knicks and talks about the tension created by the triangle offense.
Speaking of the triangle, TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal defended his former head coach Phil Jackson, suggesting that the Knicks players are to blame for the system’s ineffectiveness in New York. Marc Berman of The New York Post has the details.

Knicks Rumors: Carmelo, Rose, Draft Targets

March 21st, 2017 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

The triangle offense continues to be a source of tension in New York, with sources suggesting to Ian Begley of ESPN.com that the Knicks’ return to the triangle is one reason some veteran players have started to lose faith in head coach Jeff Hornacek recently. Despite Hornacek’s recent insistence that the triangle could hold some appeal to free agents, there’s concern in some corners of the organization that it could do the opposite, driving free agents away from the Knicks, Begley reports.

As Begley outlines, some Knicks players feel that the triangle is too easy for opposing teams to defend, with opposing players suggesting that they can predict where players will be on the court. Pacers point guard Jeff Teague alluded to this recently, telling Marc Berman of The New York Post that a player like Derrick Rose is easier to contain when he’s playing in the triangle.

According to Begley, there’s also some concern that if Knicks president Phil Jackson leaves the team in two or three years, there would be no guarantee that the team’s new president would insist on the same system. That could complicate the development of young players like Kristaps Porzingis and Willy Hernangomez, who would then have to learn a new offense after getting accustomed to the triangle.

Begley has several more Knicks-related items of interest to pass along, so let’s round up some of the highlights…

After shopping Carmelo Anthony a little earlier this year, the Knicks “remain committed” to moving him this summer, per Begley. Anthony will still control his future, so he’d have to waive his no-trade clause to accommodate a deal. However, sources tell Begley that some members of the Clippers organization expressed confidence last month that they could acquire Carmelo in the offseason.
Although the Knicks appeared at the trade deadline to be souring on the idea of keeping Derrick Rose long-term, the club hasn’t ruled out the possibility of re-signing him, says Begley. Some members of the organization view Jrue Holiday and Jeff Teague as potential free agent targets as well, as New York searches for an answer at point guard.
The Knicks will almost certainly have a top-10 pick in this year’s draft, and according to Begley, they’ve been eyeing players such as French guard Frank Ntilikina and Kentucky sharpshooter Malik Monk.
Team owner James Dolan publicly stated earlier in the year that he intends to exercise the Knicks’ half of the mutual option on Phil Jackson‘s contract this summer. Still, sources tell Begley that some people around Dolan have been urging him to consider making a change.

New York Notes: Nets, Dinwiddie, Knicks, Carmelo

March 21st, 2017 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

As we noted on Monday, CSKA Moscow guard Milos Teodosic is mulling a move to the NBA this summer, and will be seeking a team that can give him playing time, a competitive contract, and – most importantly – a chance to contend. Brooklyn has been linked to Teodosic, but as Brian Lewis of The New York Post observes, the lottery-bound Nets can probably only offer two of the three things on the Euroleague star’s wish list.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic division:

With Jeremy Lin sidelined again, unheralded young guard Spencer Dinwiddie will take over as the Nets‘ starting point guard down the stretch. As Ryan Lazo of The New York Post writes, Dinwiddie only has a non-guaranteed salary for 2017/18, but hopes to prove in the coming weeks that he belongs on the roster for the long term.
The Knicks are on track to miss out on a playoff spot for the fourth straight season, and Carmelo Anthony admits that he has been forced to consider his future with the franchise and whether he can win in New York, writes Jovan Buha of ESPN.com. “I try to put everything into perspective,” Anthony said. “I think about it all. I think about here. I think about the postseason. I think about my teammates. I just think about everything. It’s not just one specific thing that I think about. I think about it a lot.” Anthony, of course, has a no-trade clause that he could waive if the Knicks were to approach him with a trade scenario he liked.
Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek noted on Monday that his team often doesn’t make the extra pass necessary to get a higher-percentage shot, prompting Marc Berman of The New York Post to wonder if the comment was a dig at any specific Knicks players.

Porzingis Knew Knicks Would Be Bad; Reports Ask Melo About LA

March 20th, 2017 at 5:09pm CST by Austin Kent

Second-year big man Kristaps Porzingis knew early on that the Knicks weren’t going to be a competitive team this season, citing a lack of chemistry and teamwork. Marc Berman of the New York Post wrote about the sophomore’s troubling realization as the franchise finds itself staring at a 27-42 record.

“I think it was pretty easy to tell from the inside that we’re not that good of a team,” Porzingis said of the Knicks. “We can win games based on our talent, but it’s not going to last long. [We needed] more work, attention to details, to keep growing as a team. A good team needs time to play together.”

The forward, whose averaged 18.0 points per game across 58 contests so far this season, acknowledged that the transition process can be difficult and that the Knicks did add several fresh faces like starting point guard Derrick Rose, but it was a disappointing year nonetheless.

Pressed to talk about the city of Los Angeles, Carmelo Anthony told the New York Post’s Marc Berman that he thinks L.A. is a relaxing place and that his family feels comfortable there. He also said, “Nah, don’t start, I haven’t thought about it,” though, so take it for what it’s worth. “I try not to think about it,” Anthony told the reporter. “Especially now when I’m still playing with the New York Knicks.“

New York Notes: Rose, Jackson, Lin, McDaniels

March 19th, 2017 at 11:56am CST by Arthur Hill

NBA agents are forecasting a disappointing free agent market for Knicks guard Derrick Rose, with one calling him “the next [Rajon] Rondo,” relays Fred Kerber of The New York Post. New York is considered unlikely to try to re-sign Rose, who has been a disappointment since being acquired in a trade with the Bulls last summer. The unidentified agent who compared him to Rondo said Rose will probably get a short-term deal from a bad team worth about $15MM per year. Another expects him to take less money to join a better organization, probably $8MM to $10MM or $10MM to $12MM annually.

One positive for Rose this season has been health, as he has appeared in 60 of the Knicks’ 69 games and is on track for the most he has played since a devastating ACL tear in 2012. “I really believe I worked my butt off this summer to hold up,” Rose said. “I had aches and nagging injuries [in the past]. This year I didn’t have that. Every game, it’s a fatigue factor, but as far as how my body’s feeling, my body’s holding up pretty well.”

There’s more today out of the Big Apple:

Most of the current Knicks aren’t comfortable in the triangle offense and would like to see the team abandon it, writes Ian Begley of ESPN.com. They believe the tight spacing makes it difficult to drive to the basket and say the offense results in a lot of contested shots. If team president Phil Jackson insists on running the triangle, he might have to overhaul the roster to make it work. There are also concerns that the young players who are learning the triangle will have to make a huge adjustment when Jackson leaves.
The Nets are finally enjoying the benefits of teaming Jeremy Lin with Brook Lopez, relays Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn was expecting the combination to be the core of the team after signing Lin last July, but injuries wiped out a major part of his season. The Nets are 7-11 with Lopez and Lin in the lineup together, but just 6-44 otherwise. “That growth is absolutely there, and I think it’s going to get exponentially better,’’ Lopez said. “That’s team-wise as well. When you really look at our situation, I don’t think we’ve all been out there at the same time. We’ve got some new guys who are coming in. They don’t know all the plays, they’re just getting thrown in the fire in the heat of the moment, but they’re producing. That bodes well for our future.”
Nets coach Kenny Atkinson has been happy with the play of K.J. McDaniels, who was acquired from Houston at the deadline, tweets NetsDaily.com. “He’s given us some quality minutes,” Atkinson said. “He’s a smart player, he can stretch the floor. I like his IQ and spirit.”

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 3/18/17

March 18th, 2017 at 10:45pm CST by Austin Kent

Here are the D-League transactions for Saturday:

10:45pm:

The Knicks have assigned forward Maurice Ndour to their Westchester affiliate, the team tweeted.
The Grizzlies have recalled center Deyonta Davis from Iowa, the team announced in an email.

2:17pm:

The Raptors have assigned forward Bruno Caboclo and center Pascal Siakam to their D-League affiliate, the team’s media department reports on Twitter. Caboclo has seen limited action in just seven games with Toronto this season while Siakam has averaged 4.2 points and 3.3 rebounds in 52 contests at the big league level.
The Thunder have assigned forward Josh Huestis to their D-League affiliate, the team announced in a press release. Huestis has played 27 games with the OKC Blue already this season.
The Cavaliers recalled rookie guard Kay Felder from their D-League affiliate, the team reports on its official site. Felder has played 37 games with the franchise already this season.

Jackson's Underwhelming Three Years; Better Employing The Triangle

March 18th, 2017 at 10:58am CST by Austin Kent

It’s been three years since Phil Jackson took the reins of the Knicks and Marc Berman of the New York Post says the executive left his basketball brains in Los Angeles. Berman writes that Jackson nailed the only lottery pick he’s been given (Kristaps Porzingis) but has failed to manage personalities, as was a reported strength.
The New York Post’s Mike Vaccaro suggests that, if a smooth operating triangle scheme is truly the goal, Phil Jackson may have been better off either handling coaching duties himself or being more assertive in having his Knicks coaches employ the triangle offense.