Exiled Noah deadline approaching

Joakim Noah turned 33 in exile on Sunday, but Thursday is the more important date for the veteran Knicks center. It will determine if he’ll return to the court this season.

March 1 is the deadline for Noah to be waived in order for him to be eligible for the playoffs. Noah has two years left on his $72 million contract after this season, and the Knicks would only waive him if he agrees to a buyout and left money on the table.

A fair estimate for Noah to forgo would be $5 million. That would be a little more than his take the next two seasons if he signed with another club for the veteran’s minimum, which is $2.3 million.

If he did forgo the $5 million, the Knicks would save roughly $2.5 million on the salary cap in the summers of 2018 and 2019.

Noah has played in seven games this season and the Knicks don’t want him back as long as Jeff Hornacek is head coach.

According to sources, the Players Association will intensify its interest if Thursday’s deadline passes and Noah still is on the Knicks. If Noah wants back, it could get ugly. Sources who have spoken to the Knicks brass say Noah’s camp has been oddly quiet.

Hornacek and Noah feuded on a road trip last month — with a nasty verbal altercation occurring at practice in Denver leading him to leave the club Jan. 25.

Sources have indicated the feud is untenable and the Knicks were within their rights to levy a suspension for insubordination with Noah cursing out his head coach. The team chose not to. Hence, Noah is still getting paid. Noah has already forfeited some of the $72 million that former team president Phil Jackson lavished upon him in the summer of 2016. It was arguably Jackson’s worst move. Noah served 20 games for a drug suspension — 12 of those to start this season.

According to NBA sources, the forfeiture of money for suspended games under the drug agreement is a negotiated fee and confidential.

The ideal situation is for the Knicks to trade Noah this summer and get back a less-burdensome contract. They tried and failed to do so at the Feb. 8 trade deadeline.

As The Post reported, the Knicks engaged Orlando about Elfrid Payton and attempted to add Noah and the similarly egregious contract of Orlando’s Bismack Biyombo.

Draft night would be the next time the Knicks can feasibly trade Noah, but his value will continue at a low ebb if he can’t play.