We may have seen the last of Joakim Noah with the New York Knicks.
A team official announced Friday that the veteran center has taken a mutually agreed-upon leave of absence until further notice, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post.
Noah, 32, has been away from the club since he reportedly got into a confrontation with head coach Jeff Hornacek on Jan. 24. It's believed New York is trying to find a suitor for Noah ahead of next Thursday's trade deadline.
It's an ambitious task given Noah's monster contract and underwhelming production. Since joining the Knicks in 2016 on a four-year, $72-million deal, the former Defensive Player of the Year is averaging 4.6 points on 49.1 percent shooting from the field to go along with 7.9 rebounds and two assists over 52 games.
He started all 46 of his games last year but fell out of the rotation after missing several games due to a PED suspension. Upon his return to his hometown squad, he spent time in the G League.
Despite all that, New York is reportedly unwilling to sweeten a potential Noah trade with worthwhile draft-pick compensation or young talent. Should the deadline pass with no takers for Noah, the Knicks could try to negotiate a buyout or waive him using the league's stretch provision, which would put them on the hook for $7.5 million over five seasons.
