New York Knicks Blog – Page 28 – NBA Blog

Joakim Noah screws up, gets 20-game NBA suspension

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on center Joakim Noah, whose first season with a Knicks was largely a lost one:

This is a message preached to all of the highest-level athletes, because these men and women are subject to random pee tests the way we’re subject to speed traps on the turnpike: know what you’re putting in your body.

Joakim Noah didn’t and now he’s forced to ingest a 20-game suspension with over $2 million in lost salary.

To assume the best of Noah now is also to assume he independently bought something over the counter without knowledge it contained an offending substance called “Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator LGD-4033.” According to anti-doping experts, it falls in the same class as anabolic agents, providing effects similar to steroids — to recover from injury or to build muscle mass. Athletes these days are supplied the supplements they need by team trainers and doctors. So it’s an unnecessary mistake from Noah no matter how you slice it.

Joakim Noah suspended 20 games

Knicks center Joakim Noah has been suspended without pay for twenty games for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program by testing positive for Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator LGD-4033, it was announced today by the NBA.

Noah’s’ suspension will begin with the first NBA regular season or playoff game for which he is eligible and physically able to play.

Playoffs very unlikely for Knicks

We’ve reached the time of the NBA year where teams must finally be fully realistic about whether they’re a playoff team or a lottery squad. As for the Knicks, here’s NY Newsday reporting:

Jeff Hornacek is no longer saying the Knicks can make a playoff run. The Knicks coach conceded the race is just about over and it’s time to start building for next season.

But Tuesday night the Knicks looked like they were playing for something, especially in the second half. They erased a 10-point third-quarter deficit, held Indiana to 29-second points and earn an 87-81 win over the Pacers at Madison Square Garden.

Carmelo Anthony scored 15 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Knicks (27-41). Derrick Rose added 16 and Willy Hernangomez had 13 and 16 rebounds.

Kristaps Porzingis left the game in the fourth quarter with a bruised left leg and didn’t return.

The Knicks remain in 12th place in the East, six games out of the final spot with 14 to play. They’re not mathematically eliminated, but they’ve been showing signs of being mentally done for a long time.

Derrick Rose trying to develop a 3-point shot by playoff-time

Yeah, there are a lot of leaps here, but let’s just go with it for now. Here’s NY Newsday reporting:

Derrick Rose has a personal game plan for the playoffs.

It’s OK if you have to read that again, parse all its implications. It was only a week ago that everyone expected him to be traded. And the postseason? Well, that was just crazy talk.

But after a big, necessary win over the Magic on Wednesday night — spurred in part by Rose’s 19 points — the Knicks find themselves in the unexpected position of still sort of having a shot at the playoffs. And that means Rose is in the even more unexpected position of trying to find a way for the Knicks to win if they get there.

Enter the three-point shot.

“I’m trying to put pieces of my game together,” Rose said Thursday after practice at Temple University. “You see I’m not shooting threes yet, but hopefully, [I’ll] start shooting them in the playoffs. It’s going to take a lot of sacrifice and dedication to get there, but I’m just adding pieces of my game throughout the season.”

Knicks waive Brandon Jennings, sign Chasson Randle

New York Knicks President Phil Jackson announced today the team has waived guard Brandon Jennings, and signed free agent guard Chasson Randle to a contract.

Randle, 6-2, 185-pounds, appeared in eight games for Philadelphia this season, averaging 5.3 points over 9.3 minutes, before being waived on Feb. 23. Signed on Jan. 10 by the 76ers, the Stanford University product became the fourth-ever NBA Call-Up of the D-League’s Westchester Knicks, where he averaged 20.4 points, on 42.2-percent shooting, over 32.2 minutes in 20 games. Prior to the D-League, Randle appeared in three preseason games for New York before being waived on Oct. 21.

Jennings, 6-1, 170-pounds, was originally signed by the Knicks as a free agent on Jul. 8, 2016. He had averaged 8.6 points, 4.9 assists and 24.6 minutes in 58 games.

Kristaps Porzingis ankle injury seems minor

Here’s NY Newsday with some good Knicks news:

After a disappointing trade deadline, Knicks fans got a little reprieve Friday afternoon when Kristaps Porzingis said doctors detected no structural damage to his sprained right ankle and that it’s possible he could play as soon as Monday.

“Feeling better,” he said. “There’s a lot of swelling, but I can walk around no problem and the swelling is going down, too.”

Asked about playing Monday, when the Knicks face the Raptors, he said he thought it was “a possibility.”

“Right now again, I don’t want to say anything that’s gonna get me in trouble,” Porzingis said. “I don’t want to say that I’ll play. But it all depends on them. If they see that I’m ready and I can go, then I’ll play, sure.”

Knicks stand pat at NBA trade deadline

There were plenty of Knicks-related rumors, but as the NBA trade deadline passed today the team kept their roster in tact. Here’s the New York Daily News reporting:

Derrick Rose was shopped by the Knicks to Minnesota for much of Thursday heading into the 3 p.m. deadline, but the swap for Ricky Rubio never materialized and Phil Jackson stuck with a roster that went 23-34 into the All-Star break.

Negotiations involving Carmelo Anthony had no traction, as the small forward with the power of a no-trade clause said he’d be spending the afternoon napping ahead of Thursday’s game against the Cavs.

But for Rose, the possibility of a relocation — and a reunion with Timberwolves coach/president Tom Thibodeau — was a real possibility. According to sources, the Knicks were eager to land other pieces in the deal — including forward Nemanja Bjelica — but Minnesota ultimately declined and pulled out.

Brandon Jennings takes vacation from Twitter

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on the ever-changing social media world of Knicks guard Brandon Jennings:

Brandon Jennings wants Knicks fans to cool it on Twitter.

The point guard recently went on a brief hiatus from social media after he became fed up with the influx of bizarre tweets.

Jennings is usually prolific on Twitter, engaging with his fans on a variety of topics, from sneakers to rising rap artists. But he didn’t fire off a single tweet between Feb. 14 and Feb. 19, instead using his All-Star break to spend time with his children and unwind.

“Just needed a break from it. Being a Knicks player, you get all type of weird tweets and stuff,” Jennings said at Knicks practice Wednesday. “So I just wanted to get off social media for a minute. That’s all. Calm it down a little bit.”

Timberwolves may want Derrick Rose

Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune on the Timberwolves and Knicks PG Derrick Rose:

The Timberwolves are among several teams that have talked to New York about acquiring point guard Derrick Rose before Thursday’s trade deadline, ESPN.com reported Monday night.

Rose played for Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau in Chicago for five seasons, and his contract with this season’s $21.3 million salary expires this summer

Kristaps Porzingis wins 2017 Skills Challenge

The Knicks are amid the throes of losing, but all Kristaps Porzingis did during All-Star Weekend was win.

After scoring 24 points in the World Team’s victory Friday in the Rising Stars Challenge, the 7-foot-3 Porzingis captured the Skills Challenge on Saturday, knocking off Gordon Hayward in the finals.

It marked the second straight year a big man has won the skills, after Karl-Anthony Towns captured the 2016 crown.

Sitting with a big gold trophy in the interview room and asked about tasting victory after a 23-34 start, Porzingis, the man nicknamed “The Unicorn” by Kevin Durant, beamed.

“It feels good to win no matter what,” Porzingis said. “Even yesterday it felt good to get a win.’’

— NY Post