The situation revolving around New York Knicks center Joakim Noah continues to get stranger by the day. It does not seem like he will even be allowed around the team for its 25 games remaining in the 2017-18 NBA season. However, according to tweets today from NBA Front Office Insider Bobby Marks of ESPN, the Knicks should take a different approach when it comes to paying out the remaining $37 million of Noah's contract with the team.
“Same situation played out in 2003 with Dikembe Mutombo and New Jersey. Mutombo gave back $10M of the $37M owed but earned it back in his next contract (with NYK). This is the case study that New York should follow,” Marks said on Wednesday. “What should happen is that NYK should play him the last 25 games. Try to build up his FA value and go the buyout route this summer. Would benefit both sides.”
The 32-year-old Noah and the Knicks mutually agreed that he be away from the team indefinitely, as he has not been with or around the Knicks since Jan. 25. After the team's practice on Tuesday, head coach Jeff Hornacek reiterated that the plan is to continue to have Noah stay away from the Knicks. The two allegedly got into a confrontation last month at practice that led to Hornacek shoving Noah.
Via an article written by Daniel Popper of the New York Daily News:
“We've handled that thing with Jo,” Hornacek said after the team's first practice following the All-Star break. “It's not finalized obviously because he's still on the roster. But we dealt with that situation, and there's really nothing more to say about it or update it. We've moved on. I think he's ready to move on and maybe have an opportunity somewhere else. That's kind of an old story and all done with, as far as I'm concerned.”
What Marks proposed the Knicks do would certainly work out for both sides, but Noah would actually have to play well enough to live up to his end of the bargain. For now, it doesn't seem like Noah will put on a Knicks jersey anytime soon or possibly ever again.
In just seven games this season for New York, Noah averaged only 1.7 points and 2.0 rebounds per game in just 5.7 minutes of action per contest.
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