Kenyon Martin slams Joakim Noah: ‘That boy sucks’

Kenyon Martin does not think much of New York Knicks center Joakim Noah.

The former NBA player ripped Noah — and Knicks president Phil Jackson — in a Friday interview with Hot 97.

Martin first took aim at Jackson, criticizing his talent evaluation — which led to him unloading on Noah, the Knicks’ $72 million bust.

“Picking talent? That ain’t his strong suit, as you can tell,” Martin said of Jackson, via Thomas Duffy of Bleacher Report. “The man gave Joakim Noah $70 million. Boy can’t hit his a– with both hands. … That boy sucks.”

Martin took things a step further, ripping Noah for his infamous missed free throw and challenging him to play for his contract.

“Listen, that man shot a free throw…look it up,” Martin said. “And the face he made? I’ve never shot a ball and made that face. I’ve been playing basketball for a long time.

“I’ll play him for his contract. Play him for his contract. Right now, off the couch. … [Stephen Jackson and I] look at people’s skills, and we feel we should still be playing, and we can play. Just [give us] the opportunity. And you give a guy like that that kind of money for nothing?”

There is no disputing Noah had a terrible season. In the first year of his big four-year deal, he averaged just five points and 8.7 rebounds per game, and his season ended with a suspension and multiple injuries. Jackson and the Knicks will not be living down that contract for a long, long time.

Joakim Noah needs shoulder surgery

The hits keep on coming for Joakim Noah.

Not only is Noah out serving a 20-game suspension for a violation of the league’s drug policy, but now he is looking at shoulder surgery that will likely require 4-6 months of recovery.

The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports the news on Noah:

Knicks center Joakim Noah needs surgery for a torn left rotator cuff, league sources tell @TheVertical. Four to six months of rehab coming.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) April 12, 2017

Noah is finishing the first season of a four-year, $72 million deal the Knicks gave him last offseason. He averaged just five points and 8.8 rebounds per game this season. He also missed time after having his knee scoped.

Noah still has 12 games to serve next season as part of his suspension.

Report: Joakim Noah suspended 20 games for violation of NBA’s anti-drug policy

A bad season just got worse for New York Knicks big man Joakim Noah.

Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports on Friday that Noah has been suspended for 20 games due to a violation of the NBA’s anti-drug policy. The former Defensive Player of the Year is said to have tested positive for a banned over-the-counter supplement.

Noah, 32, was averaging 5.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game this season, the first of a four-year, $72.5 million deal he signed with the Knicks over the summer. He hasn’t played since February 4 due to various injuries and an arthroscopic left knee surgery he underwent on February 27 was expected to end his season.

But Wojnarowski adds that Noah recently began running and conditioning again and is expected to serve 10 games of the suspension to finish out this season (the Knicks have exactly 10 remaining) and 10 games to start the 2017-18 season. That’s news that won’t bode well for Noah’s chances of keeping his starting spot next year, something he already seemed to be losing his grip on.

Jeff Hornacek won’t commit to Joakim Noah starting next season

Joakim Noah’s first season with the New York Knicks is likely over, and the outlook for the future doesn’t appear to be much brighter either.

Speaking with the media on Monday, Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek wouldn’t commit to the idea of Noah as a starter for next season and alluded to an open competition, per Ian Begley of ESPN.

Hornacek asked if Noah's viewed as a starter next season. As expected, he said that things will be open for competition at beginning of year

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) February 27, 2017

It was announced earlier in the day that the 32-year-old Noah needs arthroscopic knee surgery and is expected to miss the remainder of the year. He was averaging 5.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game this season, starting in all 46 of his appearances for the Knicks (though they had previously flirted with the idea of benching him). The ex-Defensive Player of the Year had also been showing some major slippage on that end of the floor, ranking 35th just among centers in defensive real plus-minus (per ESPN).

The Knicks can afford to bench Noah with shot-blocker/low-post threat Kyle O’Quinn and promising rookie big man Willy Hernangomez both in tow. But the four-year, $72.5 million deal that they signed Noah to this past summer already had a case for being the worst contract in the NBA today, and this latest development will only serve to strengthen it.

Joakim Noah will reportedly undergo knee surgery, miss rest of season

New York Knicks center Joakim Noah is reportedly shutting it down for the season.

Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports that Noah will undergo knee surgery and miss the rest of the year.

Knicks' center Joakim Noah is likely to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery and miss rest of season, league sources tell @TheVertical.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) February 27, 2017

Noah has not played since Feb. 4 and has been battling hamstring, shoulder and ankle injuries practically all season in addition to the knee issue. With the Knicks all but eliminated from the playoffs, there is no sense in him continuing to play and risk suffering setbacks.

Noah signed a four-year, $72.5 million deal with the Knicks last offseason, and it’s unclear what the team will do with him this summer. Phil Jackson already started making moves this week when he released one veteran player, so his offseason plans are a mystery.

Joakim Noah has priceless reaction to airballed free throw (Video)

Joakim Noah shot a free throw on Monday that caused everyone, including himself, to cringe.

During the first quarter of the game between the Knicks and Pacers, Noah went to the free throw line after drawing a foul on Myles Turner. Noah missed both shots, but it was the second attempt that had everyone talking. Take a look for yourself.

SCREAMING at this Joakim Noah airball FT and his reaction pic.twitter.com/8Tjpxcu10L

— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) January 24, 2017

Noah’s reaction is priceless, as he knew as soon as the ball left his hands the end result wasn’t going to be good, and it wasn’t.

Four seasons ago, Noah shot 75 percent from the free-throw line. Since then, he’s steadily decreased and came into Monday making just 43 percent from the line.

Knicks considering benching Joakim Noah

With the New York Knicks at 14-13, it would be unfair to say that their offseason moves have been failures. One, however, really isn’t working out well at all.

Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek admitted that Joakim Noah could lose his place in the starting lineup if things do not change soon, calling it “something we have to keep our eye on,” via Marc Berman of the New York Post.

Noah, who is averaging just 4.4 points in 21 minutes per game, is simply keeping his head down as he tries to get better.

“I feel great — I just got to keep working,” Noah said Saturday. “It’s going to work out.”

Noah played just 11 minutes on Saturday against Denver, and he has struggled to get into the flow of New York’s offense. His 30.6 percent free throw shooting hasn’t helped either, and he’s an obvious weak spot in that regard when on the floor.

Noah has been frustrated with his play for quite a while now. So, too, are the Knicks, in all likelihood. They didn’t pay $72 million for this.