Despite all the drama between Joakim Noah and the New York Knicks dating back from last season, the two sides are working to find a solution for the former Defensive Player of the Year, according to Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports. It has been reported that the sides are expected to part ways before training camp.
Scott Perry says nothing has changed with @JoakimNoah. Hope is they can come to a resolution soon that benefits both. Says they are in constant contact with Noah’s reps.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) September 20, 2018
The 33-year-old New York City native missed the start of last season because of shoulder surgery and a carryover suspension from the prior campaign after a violation of the NBA's anti-drug policy. He returned in late November, but received limited playing time across just seven appearances before taking an indefinite leave from the organization in January for “personal reasons.”
After a heated exchange during practice with then-head coach Jeff Hornacek, Noah distanced himself from the team for the remainder of the season, almost verifying the rumors of the Knicks searching for a suitable trading partner to unload his heavy salary on. That appears to no longer be the case, as the Knicks' front office is currently not aggressively pursuing a trade.
Noah was quoted during an interview with TMZ Sports as stating his love for The Big Apple, and his strong desire to stay a part of the franchise moving forward.
“Coach Fizz is cool, man,” said Noah.
Noah still has two years remaining on a $72.6 million dollar contract he signed in July 2016, an obstacle that has made him hard to move, leaving the Knicks with very few options. New York could choose to waive-and-stretch the big man, similar to what the Los Angeles Lakers did with former Chicago Bulls teammate Luol Deng.
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