13 Players the New York Knicks held onto for too long

3. Joakim Noah

Knicks fans do not want to hear about Noah after his four-year, $72 million contract from 2016 haunted the team for seven years.

There was plenty of opposition from the moment he signed it. Noah was Defensive Player of the Year in 2014 and had two All-Star nods under his belt, but his playing time and production dropped off significantly during the 2015-16 season in Chicago. A shoulder injury limited him to just 29 games, but that did not stop the Knicks from giving him a massive contract.

It was clear from the start that the 6’11 big man was not the same player, but he was starting and producing solid numbers until the injuries hit. Noah played 53 games over two years with the Knicks before the team waived him. They had space and a desire to spend in 2016 because of the cap spike, but the Knicks missed badly on Noah.

The front office used the stretch provision on Noah’s contract, which meant he made $6.4 million in the 2021-22 season, despite not playing in the NBA for two full years. Noah got all $72 million after averaging 4.6 points and 7.9 rebounds over just 53 contests. It was an absolute disaster and one the New York Knicks desperately wish they could have back.