In the midst of what's bound to be an ugly breakup between center Joakim Noah and the New York Knicks, one of his longtime former teammates has come in his defense. Al Horford, who was Noah's frontcourt partner back in his days at the University of Florida, noted the big man could still produce and give back to a team with championship aspirations.

“I believe so,” Horford told Marc Berman of The New York Post when asked if Noah can help a contender. “I think when Jo is healthy, I will put him on my team any day of the week.”

Noah has been battling injuries since his departure from the Chicago Bulls during the 2015-16 season. His issues have been chronic at best in his first year of a four-year, $72 million deal with the Knicks, playing in only 46 games due to nagging injuries and an ensuing 20-games suspension for taking banned substances.

He's now found himself at the bottom of a four-man logjam at the center position, and now exiled from the team until the front office can package him in a suitable trade with another team.

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Horford noted the former fellow Gator is dealing with some struggles due to his situation and his competitive nature.

“It’s got to be tough,” Horford said. “He’s a competitor, winner. The fact he can’t play, it’s very hard on him. He cares about the team, cares about winning. It’s got to be very frustrating.”

The Boston Celtics are unlikely to move pieces around to acquire him, as there's still over $50 million left in his contract, and Gordon Hayward's $8.4 million exception won't help them pay it off.