Knicks reportedly near deal to waive, stretch Joakim Noah, making him free agent

https://sports.yahoo.com/knicks-reportedly-near-deal-waive-160016608.html



Knicks reportedly near deal to waive, stretch Joakim Noah, making him free agent



Kurt Helin
NBC Sports•Sep 23, 2018, 6:00 PM




The Joakim Noah era with the Knicks is finally, mercifully coming to an end.

Back in the summer of 2016 — the summer when NBA GMs spent like a drunk sailor on shore leave — the Knicks’ Phil Jackson looked at Joakim Noah, who had played 29 games the season before due to injury and was showing the wear and tear of Tom Thibodeau miles on him, and thought “I should give him four years, $72.6 million because he will totally bounce back to Defensive Player of the Year form.” In the two year’s since Noah has played in 53 games total, and while he can still grab some boards when he gets on the court, he is not near the defensive force he once was, and he was never a great offensive player.

The Knicks are finally moving on and doing so in the next 48 hours, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical at The Athletic.



Shams Charania

@ShamsCharania
Sources on @TheAthleticNBA @WatchStadium: Joakim Noah and the New York Knicks are near agreement on his waive and stretch. Noah will not report to training camp this week as sides part ways before media day.

2:54 PM - Sep 23, 2018



Shams Charania

@ShamsCharania
Sources on @TheAthleticNBA @WatchStadium: Joakim Noah and the New York Knicks are near agreement on his waive and stretch. Noah will not report to training camp this week as sides part ways before media day.

2:54 PM - Sep 23, 2018


Much like the Luol Deng move by the Lakers, this is about freeing up cap space for next summer for the Knicks. New York will pay his full $18.5 million salary for this season, then stretch his final season of $19.3 million over three seasons, which works out to about $6.43 million a season on the books. That is without any discount in the buyout Noah may give New York.

For the Knicks, that frees up about $12.9 million in extra cap space next summer, when they want to go big game hunting for free agents. (The Knicks reportedly have Kyrie Irving at the top of their list, although most sources I talk to around the league don’t expect Irving to leave Boston next summer.) It does mean the Knicks will have some of that Noah money on the books through the summer of 2023. The risk for New York is if they strike out in free agency then they still have that Noah money on the books, rather than just taking their medicine and paying the full price, although having him in the locker room and wanting minutes would be a distraction, one the Knicks would like to move past.

As for other teams having interest in Noah, maybe if he can prove he’s healthy some team might consider him for a backup center, or third center on the roster spot. Maybe. But most teams would rather have a young player they can get cheaply and develop in that spot rather than a 33-year-old veteran with an injury history. It’s something to watch, but I doubt the market is very deep. That said, it just takes one.


bob
MY NOTE:  This is best described as a "mercy killing".  Will it be the Lakers, who are in 'win now' mode, or does he run to Papa Thibs in Minnesota and back up KAT, or will it be Philly and backing up Embiid?

.

As long as he does not limp to Boston. Never liked this guy even when he was a decent player.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/report-joakim-noah-grizzlies-agree-1-year-deal-171852722.html



Report: Joakim Noah, Grizzlies agree to 1-year deal



Cassandra Negley,Yahoo Sports
2 hours 10 minutes ago




Center Joakim Noah will sign a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract with the Memphis Grizzlies, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

The two sides agreed to a deal Friday and will reportedly make it official early next week.

Shams Charania

@ShamsCharania
Noah will travel to Memphis on Sunday and sign his one-year deal with the Grizzlies early next week, league sources said. Memphis (12-8 ) has targeted Noah as backup center all season.

Shams Charania

@ShamsCharania
Joakim Noah has agreed to a one-year, veteran's minimum deal with the Memphis Grizzlies, per league sources on @TheAthleticNBA @WatchStadium.

300
8:33 AM - Nov 30, 2018


Noah, 33, was waived by the New York Knicks using the stretch provision in October. In two years with the team he played 53 of a possible 164 games, averaging five points and 8.8 rebounds.

He suffered a season-ending knee injury in February 2017 and a month later was suspended 20 games by the NBA for violating the league’s anti-drug policy. In April, he underwent shoulder surgery.

The Knicks actively began exploring parting with the 11-year veteran at the beginning of 2018.

In nine seasons with the Chicago Bulls, Noah averaged 9.3 points and 9.4 rebounds per game and earned a first-team All-NBA selection mainly for his defense.


bob
MY NOTE:  This will hurt our Memphis pick's position.


.

Bob,

Do you think adding Noah will help Memphis in the standings?

gyso