CALL IT A COMEBACK
Knicks’ Joakim Noah set to return to lineup Monday after serving 20-game PED ban
Joakim Noah has been practicing with the Knicks for weeks, but when it’s time for the games to be played, he hasn’t even been able to sit on the bench in a dapper suit to cheer on his teammates.
Instead, the suspended big man has been watching the games on TV or the internet, either in the team hotel or on the team bus.
That will end on Monday, at least, when Noah’s 20game ban for performance-enhancing drugs dating back to last March will be completed.
“I’m not gonna lie, it was very humbling, very tough, to not be able to be with the guys, to have to stay back and watch the games alone, even on the bus. That’s been tough,” Noah said after practice on Friday. “It’s been a long couple weeks. I’m happy we’re playing well. And I’m just happy to be back with the team.”
The Knicks, who will first face Sacramento on Saturday at the Garden, will have to make a roster move to accommodate the $72 million center’s return two days later against the Cavaliers, probably involving little-used Mindaugas Kuzminskas or Ramon Sessions.
Regardless, where the 6-foot-11 Noah fits in to the Knicks’ rotation remains unclear. Imported center Enes Kanter is averaging a double-double (13.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game) in 11 games since his arrival from Oklahoma City in the Carmelo Anthony deal, while Kyle O’Quinn has been so effective anchoring the second unit — with 7.1 points, 6.0 boards and 1.3 blocks in 17 minutes per game — that second-year pivot Willy Hernangomez has totaled just 56 minutes over six appearances during the team’s surprising 6-5 start.
“All I can do is just be as ready as possible. I feel like I’ve put myself in that position, grinding hard. Whatever my role is, I’ll accept it,” Noah said.
“We’re going to have to figure that out when we can,” Jeff Hornacek said. “With (GM) Scott (Perry) trying to figure out what our moves are, if all four centers are there it’s going to be a situation where we’ll have to take a look at whether we can keep all four of them out there. It’s already tough enough trying to get Willy minutes. But Jo, he’s been working hard in practice. He’s been doing a great job. So we’ll try to get him worked in at some point.”
Noah, 32, underwent shoulder surgery in April, but he already was recovering from a knee procedure when he was nabbed in March for ingesting a banned substance, which he has attributed to an over-the-counter supplement he says he
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took to speed up his recovery time.
The New York native talked during training camp and again on Friday about the need to prove himself following a washout first season at the Garden — poor play personally and collectively, multiple injuries and the suspension — after being inked by then team president Phil Jackson to a four-year, $72 million deal in free agency in 2016.
“It’s more than a learning experience. It’s been very humbling. But it helped me also get my life in order, just really focusing on what matters,” Noah said of the past year. “Right now I still feel like I have a great opportunity to be able to play at home. That’s something that I’m not going to take for granted. And it was taken away from me because of a bad decision. So right now it’s definitely a learning experience. I’m happy that I can get back and do what I love to do.”
While Noah stressed he’ll “always love Phil and always respect the hell out of him,” he acknowledged there is “definitely a different vibe” around the team so far this season.
“I think they’re playing hard. I think this is a team that the people in New York should be excited about,” Noah said. “I think that Knicks fans are hungry fans and they appreciate hard work.
“Last year was a tough year and there was a lot of frustration with the way we conducted ourselves and the way I conducted myself with the suspension. And not playing well. So I just want to come back and just help in any way.”