The last days of Noah
Sources say Joakim will be gone by Oct. 15
Joakim Noah remains on the Knicks roster, but not for long.
Unless a trade opportunity suddenly emerges for the center, the Knicks will waive Noah before the regular-season roster needs to be set on Oct. 15, sources told the Daily News.
The Knicks have been shopping Noah but are declining to attach valuable assets to shed the two years and $38 million remaining on his contract. By waiting this long, the Knicks have been hoping against odds that an injury or something else creates a stronger trade market.
Most likely, however, Noah will be waived via the stretch provision, which will save the Knicks nearly $13 million in cap space for next summer’s free agency. It will also create a roster spot for Noah Vonleh, who is on a non-guaranteed deal.
It’s unclear if Noah is giving up any money in a buyout, or if the Knicks are willing to waive him outright.
Counting Noah, the Knicks are currently at the limit with 15 guaranteed contracts. Keeping Vonleh requires releasing Noah – or another guaranteed contract – by Oct. 15. Another option for the Knicks would be to hold Noah on the roster until just before free agency begins in July, stalling for the chance that an opportunity opens up for a trade and full cap relief.
Noah has been on self-imposed exile from the Knicks since January, when he and former coach Jeff Hornacek got into a heated altercation. Noah had been upset about his lack of playing time.
PENCIL THOMAS IN
On the first day of training camp, David Fizdale announced that every starting position was open. It was a bit misleading since Tim Hardaway Jr. and Enes Kanter, barring something unforeseen, were locks for the lineup, leaving three positions up for grabs. At least one of those was snatched. Lance Thomas, the underdog who keeps winning over coaches with his commitment and work ethic, is “in the books” as the starting power forward in the regular season, according to David Fizdale. It was the first public commitment the coach has made to his lineup, and perhaps it’s not surprising since Fizdale once compared Thomas to Draymond Green.
“The way he came out and attacked summer, he’s 30 years old and he was in the gym with our guys seven weeks before training camp,” Fizdale said of Thomas, who beat out Mario Hezonja for the spot. “And that just says a lot about who he is. It carried right into camp. I think you can see the way he’s playing. I don’t think I’m the one exaggerating at all, he’s playing great basketball right out of the gate.”
Thomas has started all four preseason games, including Monday against the Wizards. If he isn’t the best individual defender on the Knicks, he’s certainly the hardest worker. He’s also the longest-tenured Knick and the incumbent captain.
“His defense has been fantastic. Leadership-wise, he’s like my whistle,” Fizdale said. “Every time I try to get the team’s attention, I don’t have to blow the whistle because he’s the one saying , ‘Yo, listen, here we go.’ Third quarters, he’s the one getting them out of the locker room saying, ‘Let’s go, let’s go.’ So he’s been fantastic and I think the guys really trust him so I just like the way he’s gone about it.”