Joakim Noah Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Latest On Kristaps Porzingis

June 20th, 2017 at 4:48pm CST by Luke Adams

It has been another eventful day in the NBA, as a new name has entered the rumor mill as a possible trade candidate: Kristaps Porzingis. Reports have suggested there is a “frenzy of interest” in Porzingis, and the Knicks haven’t shot down potential suitors, though their asking price is said to be very high. The Celtics are reportedly among the teams with interest.

As we wait to see how serious the Knicks are about moving Porzingis, here are a few more noteworthy updates on his possible availability:

4:48pm:

A plugged-in source who spoke to Howard Beck of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) says to “disregard” the Porzingis buzz, telling Beck that the Knicks are taking calls but aren’t shopping the Latvian.

3:42pm:

The Sixers and Spurs were among the teams to call the Knicks about Porzingis, a team source tells Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com.

2:38pm:

According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 in Phoenix (Twitter link), the Knicks asked the Suns for the No. 4 pick and Devin Booker in exchange for Porzingis. Gambadoro is as plugged in as anyone on Suns news, and asking for Booker makes sense for a team seeking a “front-line guard,” which we heard earlier. So this is perhaps an indication of New York’s asking price for Porzingis.
One general manager tells Sean Deveney of The Sporting News (Twitter link) that the Porzingis rumor feels more like a “message” than something the Knicks are seriously considering. Deveney doesn’t speculate about the specifics of that message, but presumably it’s one aimed at Porzingis’ camp.
League sources tell Jordan Schultz of The Huffington Post (Twitter link) that Phil Jackson would like to dump Joakim Noah‘s contract in a Porzingis deal, though it’s not clear if that’s a deal-breaker. While getting Noah off the cap would certainly be huge for the Knicks, attaching him to Porzingis would risk significantly reducing the latter’s trade value.

Knicks Notes: Noah, Porzingis, Kobe, Livingston

April 27th, 2017 at 11:55am CST by ChrisCrouse

Joakim Noah, who signed a four-year, $72MM deal last offseason, underwent rotator cuff surgery on Wednesday, Al Iannazzone of Newsday relays. Noah was suspended by the league for taking a banned substance at the end of this season. He was able to serve eight of his 20 games since he was deemed healthy enough to play toward the end of the 2016/17 campaign. He’ll serve the remaining 12 games of the suspension once he’s recovered from his left shoulder surgery and ruled healthy enough to play. The Knicks didn’t give a timetable for his return, but coach Jeff Hornacek previously said the rehab process should take approximately five months.

Team president Phil Jackson remains hopeful that Noah can return from his injury and live up to his current contract. “We talked a lot about, ‘Can you get yourself back into this condition? Hamstrings, hamstrings, hamstrings,” Jackson said earlier this month. “‘Eventually it ended up being the knee that was creating ultimately other problems. So we hope going forward – he expresses great dedication in getting back to what he was and who he is as a basketball player. So I have to trust him in that.”

Here’s more from the city that never sleeps:

Kristaps Porzingis may be frustrated with the Knicks‘ organization, but that doesn’t extend to assistant coach Joshua Longstaff, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. Longstaff will join Porzingis in Latvia this summer and Bondy hears that the big man wants Longstaff to be an assistant coach for the Latvian National Team. New York previously offered to approve Porzingis’ participation in the European Championships if the Latvian team allowed the assistant to be on its staff.
Can Jackson and Carmelo Anthony coexist in New York after a season of turmoil? Kobe Bryant believes there’s a chance the two parties can, as Marc Berman of the New York Post relays. “Michael [Jordan] had his rough times with him as well. The history is you get through rough times after you win a good amount of championships. We certainly had our rocky times, but we still stuck to it, we figured out our way through it and came out better because of it. I think the most important thing is sticking to it, being patient. Sometimes things work out. Sometimes they don’t,” Bryant said.
Shaun Livingston, who will be a free agent this offseason, is a longtime favorite of Phil Jackson and could be a reasonable target for the Knicks to go after this summer, Keith P. Smith of RealGM writes. Smith argues that Livingston would be a good fit in the triangle offense.

Joakim Noah Expected To Miss 4-6 Months With Torn Rotator Cuff

April 12th, 2017 at 12:11pm CST by Luke Adams

12:11pm: The Knicks have confirmed that Noah has a rotator cuff injury, clarifying that the injury is to his right shoulder. While team doctors have recommended surgery, a final decision has yet to be made and an official recovery timeline hasn’t been determined, according to the team (Twitter link).

8:35am: Joakim Noah‘s nightmare first year in New York has taken another unfortunate turn, with Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reporting that the veteran center will require surgery for a torn left rotator cuff. The injury is expected to keep Noah sidelined for the next four to six months, which could jeopardize his training camp availability in the fall.

Noah, 32, signed a four-year, $72MM+ contract with the Knicks last summer and struggled to produce for his new team this season, averaging 5.0 PPG and 8.7 RPG in 46 games (all starts). As NBA.com’s advanced stats show, the Knicks had a -6.0 net rating with Noah on the court, compared to -3.5 when he was on the bench.

In addition to his underwhelming play on the court, Noah has suffered a handful of other setbacks in the last two months. He underwent a left knee arthroscopy in February and then received a 20-game suspension in March for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program. The Knicks center served eight games of that suspension this season, meaning he’ll have to serve the remaining 12 next season, once he’s ruled healthy enough to play following his shoulder surgery.

Noah’s contract, which has $55MM+ left on it for the next three years, looks like an albatross, but it would be a little surprising to see the Knicks make any drastic moves with it this summer.

If the team were to waive Noah and stretch his deal, that leftover salary could be spread out over seven years, with an annual cap charge of just under $8MM. That would create about $10MM of extra cap space for the next three years, but would add four extra years of cap hits for Noah, impacting the Knicks’ long-term flexibility. New York may prefer to wait and see if Noah can bounce back somewhat in 2017/18.

Knicks Notes: Elimination, Noah, Hornacek, Anthony

March 29th, 2017 at 10:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

After a season that began with great promise, the Knicks have nothing to look forward to but the lottery. New York was officially eliminated from the postseason race with tonight’s 105-88 loss to the Heat, capping off a fourth consecutive non-playoff season.

“I haven’t been excited like this in a long time to actually get going and get ready to create something,” Carmelo Anthony told Marc Berman of the New York Post when training camp opened. But Joakim Noah, who was signed to a four-year, $72MM deal over the summer, turned out to be a disappointment and finished the season under league suspension. Derrick Rose, the other major offseason addition, has been a letdown on defense and appears unlikely to be re-signed.

The Knicks now face a crucial offseason that may include a franchise-altering trade of Anthony, who was offered to the Clippers, Celtics and Cavaliers before last month’s deadline.

In the meantime, here’s some more news out of New York:

Noah said his decision to use an over-the-counter supplement to help with his rehab after surgery “backfired,” relays Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press. Noah apologized to his teammates when he returned to practice Tuesday and called his 20-game suspension excessive. “It’s a tough lesson to learn, but everything in life has its purpose,” Noah said. “I know that right now it’s a tough situation to be in not being there with my teammates out there on the court. But I’m going to take this suspension like a man and move on.”
Coach Jeff Hornacek said the substance that Noah took wasn’t provided by the Knicks’ medical staff, posts Ian Begley on ESPN Now. “Most of these guys, they want to do something on the side, they check with our trainers, analyze it, take a look at it,” Hornacek said. “Sometimes you can’t control these guys if they’re taking other supplements they buy in the store.”
With the playoffs officially out of reach, Anthony understands that his role will be reduced for the rest of the season, Begley relays (Twitter link). “I see the writing on the wall,” he said. “I see what it is. I see what they’re trying to do and it’s just me accepting that. That’s what puts me at peace. Just knowing and understanding how things work. I’m at peace with that.”

Joakim Noah’s Suspension To Begin On Wednesday

March 29th, 2017 at 12:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Joakim Noah will serve the first game of his 20-game suspension on Wednesday night, according to Ian Begley of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that an independent, NBA-approved doctor has medically cleared Noah. The veteran Knicks center received his suspension two games ago, but wasn’t eligible to begin serving it until he was deemed physically able to play.

Had it not been for the suspension, the Knicks likely would’ve been happy to let Noah take the rest of the season to recover from his left knee injury, shutting him down for now and focusing on getting him healthy for next season. In that scenario though, the 32-year-old would have had to serve all 20 games in 2017/18. By receiving medical clearance now, Noah will be able to serve eight games this season, leaving 12 for the fall.

Noah, who received his ban for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program, said this week that the substance for which he tested positive was intended to help with his rehab, but was not approved by the Knicks.

Knicks Notes: Noah, Anthony, Kuzminskas, Bliss

March 28th, 2017 at 12:08pm CST by Arthur Hill

Injured Knicks center Joakim Noah met with team doctors Monday before receiving clearance to practice today, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. The team knows Noah can’t play again this season, but it wanted him medically cleared so his 20-game drug suspension will start as soon as possible. NBA doctors will examine Noah, who had an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee in late February, before Wednesday’s game against Miami. If he gets league approval before tipoff, he will serve eight games of the suspension this season.

Noah apologized to teammates today for his androgen-related suspension and said he will accept the punishment “like a man,” tweets Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Noah said the substance he took was intended to help with his rehab after surgery and was not approved by the Knicks’ medical staff, relays Ian Begley of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

There’s more news out of New York:

Carmelo Anthony, who returned to the lineup Monday after resting his knee on the final two games of a Western road trip, prefers “Chinese herbs, African herbs” to other supplements, Berman notes in a separate story. He won’t commit to playing both games of this week’s back-to-back. Anthony also says of fans who want the team to tank to improve its draft position, “They can come play,” tweets Begley.
A midseason slump by Mindaugas Kuzminskas could discourage the Knicks from letting him play for Lithuania in this summer’s European Championships, Berman writes in another piece. The competition starts in August, with training camp in late July. The Knicks are concerned that Kuzminskas is running out of steam after playing in the Olympics last year.
The Knicks’ Dave Bliss is part of a group of young assistant coaches who are making their mark in the NBA, according to Yaron Weitzman of Bleacher Report. Bliss, who played four years at Georgia before graduating in 2008, is a key part of the team’s player deprogram that has helped Kristaps Porzingis, Willy Hernangomez and Lance Thomas quickly become productive players.

Latest On Joakim Noah’s Suspension

March 27th, 2017 at 6:22pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Joakim Noah will be re-evaluated by team doctors to determine if he’ll be able to practice this week, Ian Begley of ESPN.com reports (Twitter links). Noah is looking at a 20-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy, but his suspension can not begin until he is “eligible and physically ready to play.” Bobby Marks of The Vertical notes (via Twitter) that the league would want to see Noah go through a whole practice without complications before the suspension starts.

The center underwent microscopic knee surgery last month. He was expected to miss most, if not the remainder of the 2016/17 campaign. The Knicks have nine games remaining this season, including tonight’s tilt with the Pistons. Noah won’t be cleared for tonight’s game, but he could be cleared before the team’s game against Miami on Wednesday. That would allow him to serve eight of his 20 games this season and serve the remaining dozen games at the beginning of the 2017/18 campaign.

Before undergoing surgery, Noah was having a down year by his standards. He was averaging 5.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game while sporting 15.2 player efficiency rating.

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 Notes: Jackson, Noah, Randle, Rose

March 7th, 2017 at 9:54am CST by Luke Adams

After speaking to Phil Jackson following Sunday’s game, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr suggested that the Knicks president may be having a hard time dealing with another sub-.500 season from his club, as Mike Vorkunov of The New York Times details.

“It’s hard,” Kerr said. “It’s hard for anybody. A competitor like Phil — Phil is a fierce competitor — so losing eats competitors up. It’s no fun, but that’s part of it and part of the deal when you’re in this business, for sure.”

Despite making a series of win-now moves in the 2016 offseason, the Knicks remain out of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, with a winning percentage only slightly better than last season’s mark. Since Jackson took over as the team’s president of basketball operations, New York is just 75-153 (.329).

As Jackson and the Knicks try to find a way to turn things around for 2017/18, here are a few more notes out of New York:

Knicks center Joakim Noah underwent a procedure on his knee last week that was expected to keep him out for the rest of the season, but Noah hasn’t given up on the idea of getting back on the court in the coming weeks, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. “I want to play,” said Noah, who has begun “light” rehab work. “Right now, I’m just taking it day by day. The next step is getting strength back in my leg and go from there.”
Knicks fans in favor of tanking down the stretch may not have loved it, but Chasson Randle showed on Monday why the Knicks moved quickly to sign him after releasing Brandon Jennings, says Marc Berman of The New York Post. As Berman observes, Randle had a plus-27 rating in New York’s win in Orlando, compared to a minus-23 mark for starting point guard Derrick Rose. Randle has a non-guaranteed salary for 2017/18, so the Knicks figure to take a longer look at him down the stretch this season to see if he’ll be part of the club’s plans for next season.
Speaking of Rose, Iannazzone has the details on the point guard’s left eye, which was on the receiving end of an inadvertent elbow from Kristaps Porzingis on Sunday. According to Iannazzone, Rose saw an eye specialist after the game, but was told everything is OK.

Joakim Noah Likely To Miss Rest Of Season

February 27th, 2017 at 2:03pm CST by Luke Adams

2:03pm: The Knicks have confirmed that Noah underwent a left knee arthroscopy today to remove a loose body (Twitter link). According to the team, Noah will be re-evaluated in three to four weeks, though I imagine the center would only try to get back on the court this season if the Knicks push for a playoff spot. They’re currently four games back of the No. 8 seed, with four teams to pass.

11:01am: Knicks center Joakim Noah is expected to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery, which would sideline him for the remainder of the 2016/17 season, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Twitter link). Noah’s injury, which has kept him out of action for most of February, had been classified as hamstring soreness, but it seems his knee is an issue as well.

Noah, who turned 32 on Saturday, signed a four-year, $72MM contract with the Knicks last summer. New York received some criticism at the time for that deal, and it doesn’t look any better now than it did then. Noah has struggled to produce for his new team this season, averaging 5.0 PPG and 8.7 RPG in 46 games (all starts). As NBA.com’s advanced stats show, the Knicks have a -6.0 net rating with Noah on the court, compared to -2.5 when he’s on the bench.

Assuming Noah is indeed ruled out for the season, he’ll join Brandon Jennings in having played his last game for the Knicks this year. Unlike Jennings though, Noah won’t be released, since he still has three more years left on his contract.