Reports have it that the New York Knicks are finally gaining some ground on waiving center Joakim Noah. While the 33-year old big man found it difficult to crack a consistent roster spot with the Knicks, Shams Charania of The Athletic has tweeted out that there are teams who have been expressing their interest in signing the defensive center.
“Noah has worked diligently this offseason, and several teams are monitoring his upcoming entrance in free agency.”
Recently, a video of Noah's offseason workout surfaced online. He displayed a seemingly more potent shooting stroke and improved footwork in the post. These two attributes of Noah's game have been ridiculed in the past, so an improvement in those areas will definitely put him on NBA teams' radar.
Noah remains one of the most unique big men in the game because of his defense and playmaking skills. He won the coveted Defensive Player of the Year award in 2014 and became the anchor of the Chicago Bulls' playoff runs from 2009-2015. He then signed a lucrative deal with the Knicks in 2016.
But consecutive injuries hampered his effectivity while wearing the Knicks threads, seeing himself fall out of coach Jeff Hornacek's rotation. The team has hired a defensive-mindset coach in David Fizdale this summer. However, the Knicks still reiterated that Noah is still not a foreseeable part of their future.
With a more consistent perimeter shot and an improved mobility following his injuries, Noah could eventually be a two-way threat for any team needing the service of a quality big man off the bench.
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