The New York Knicks and Joakim Noah are still in a rift, and they weren't able to reach an agreement on a buyout before Thursday so he could become eligible for another playoff team. It looks like Noah will at least remain on the roster, but away from the team.
According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, Noah isn't willing to give up enough of the $72 million dollars that he is owed to make it worthwhile for the Knicks to move on from him.
The Knicks still hope that they can trade him — most especially his contract — this summer, which might be a longshot. That would make September 1st a date to watch for both Noah and the Knicks.
If they wave him using the stretch provision on or after September 1st, it will save the Knicks at least $12 million dollars in cap space for the summer of 2019.
“On Sept. 1, Noah will be deemed to have one remaining year on his pact after the current season. Hence, on that date, if waived under the stretch provision, the $19.2 million left would be stretched over three years — counting against the cap in the summers of 2019, 2020 and 2021.”
Noah and head coach Jeff Hornacek haven't gotten along at all this season. Noah felt betrayed by Hornacek after he was promised more minutes, and then that floor time never came.
They ultimately got into a shoving match, and that is what put Noah into exile.
He isn't the same player now that came out of the University of Florida, but he can still provide valuable minutes for some teams.
The bad thing for Noah though is how he will adjust to not playing basketball and if he will be able to keep himself in shape if he doesn't have a chance to play competitively again until after September 1st.
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