Daily Knicks
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New York Knicks: Phil Jackson’s best and worst transactions

By Rob Wolkenbrod

GREENSBURGH, NY - JULY 08: Courtney Lee, Joakim Noah, and Brandon Jennings and President Phil Jackson of the New York Knicks attend a press conference at the Madison Square Garden Training Facility on July 8, 2016 in Greenburgh, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
GREENSBURGH, NY - JULY 08: Courtney Lee, Joakim Noah, and Brandon Jennings and President Phil Jackson of the New York Knicks attend a press conference at the Madison Square Garden Training Facility on July 8, 2016 in Greenburgh, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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GREENSBURGH, NY – JULY 08: Joakim Noah poses with New York Knicks President Phil Jackson, General Manager Steve Mills, and Head Coach Jeff Hornacek at a press conference at the Madison Square Garden Training Facility on July 8, 2016 in Greenburgh, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
GREENSBURGH, NY – JULY 08: Joakim Noah poses with New York Knicks President Phil Jackson, General Manager Steve Mills, and Head Coach Jeff Hornacek at a press conference at the Madison Square Garden Training Facility on July 8, 2016 in Greenburgh, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Worst: Signing Joakim Noah to a four-year deal

The 2016 offseason became a landmark summer for the NBA, as the salary cap spiked from $70 million to $94 million. An incredible jump, it provided teams ample space to hand out contracts to the players they coveted. Though, plenty of those deals were questionable and cause lingering effects in 2018.

So, in 2016, Phil Jackson, with this cap space, used a chunk of it on Joakim Noah for four years, $72 million.

An accomplished player with the Chicago Bulls, Noah won the 2013-14 Defensive Player of the Year award and averaged a double-double in four seasons. However, injuries limited him to just 29 games and two starts in the 2015-16 season, with just 4.3 points and a 38.3 percent mark from the field.

With the New York Knicks, Noah never reached this contract’s expectations, despite averaging 8.8 rebounds. He only played 22.1 minutes per game and put up 5 points. This came in just 46 games, due to a left knee injury and a 20-game suspension.

2017-18 was worse. With Jackson fired, the Knicks were still in for three years of Noah. Head coach Jeff Hornack only used him in seven games, before an eventual one-day stint in the G League and exile from the organization.

Now, with a new general manager and head coach in place, Noah remains part of the Knicks. Whether he plays another game for them or not, it’s still one of, if not, the worst move in Jackson’s tenure.

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