Joakim Noah’s shouts and seal claps are a lot more effective when he’s in uniform and lathered up as a defensive dervish, rather than sitting on a bench in street clothes. But that’s his current situation with the New York Knicks and it apparently isn’t changing anytime soon.
Noah feels he cannot turn back the clock to regain the form he flashed when finishing fourth in 2014 MVP balloting with Chicago. So New York Knicks fans should forget about turning back their team’s clock to the day before Phil Jackson signed the Chicago fan favorite to that $72 million contract in 2016 free agency.
Here is some of Knicks beat writer Marc Berman’s take from the New York Post:
Joakim Noah admits he’s not the same player he was in 2014, when he was first team All-NBA and the Defensive Player of the Year. But the center said he still believes he can contribute to the club.
Noah chose his words carefully, admitting he’s attempting to make the best of a rotten situation and adding, “This is my reality.”
On Friday, Noah was inactive for the third straight game since his return from a drug suspension, and coach Jeff Hornacek said he has no plans to change up. The Knicks, who were blown out 107-84 by the Raptors, have three centers ahead of Noah on the depth chart: Enes Kanter, Kyle O’Quinn and Willy Hernangomez.
“I’ll be all right. I’ll be all right,’’ Noah said in his first comments since being reinstated. “I understand the situation. I’m going to make the best of it.”
Noah, 32, last played in early February when he went down with a hamstring injury. Nearly two months later, his season officially ended with a drug suspension.
