If Noah comes to camp more ready to play a role than Kanter, Vonleh, or Kornet, he may win that roster spot. He’s had a couple of years to get healthy and retune his body. It seems he’s fazing out his tornado for an actual jumper. There’s no reason not to see what he’s got in comparison to the other bigs under contract.
I don't think Noah will come to camp MORE READY than Kanter or Robinson.
[Vonleh projected as a PF...do you see him as O'Quinn Lite? Kornet likely also projected as a stretch 4/hybrid 5]
Again, I am on record as believing we should keep Noah and allow him to compete and to get rotation minutes behind Kanter, and to help compete every day against Enes, and to help mentor Kornet, Robinson and Vonleh.
I thought Hornacek really blew it big time last season in his treatment of Noah, and don't blame the big guy for freaking on him. Look at all the minutes Jeff gave to Jack in lieu of tossing Ntilikina into the deep end of the pool. Made a certain amount of sense, before we got Burke and Mudiay into the mix.
Noah's contract is old news, over and done with. We do not have to expunge every move Phil Jackson made: Porzingis, Ntilikina, Lee, Noah. I doubt Knicks management is going to see it my way, but I fail to see the rationale in dispensing with Lee or Noah for a handful of magic beans or some illusory cap space. Particularly, as Facil points out, when Noah is probably in the best shape he's been in since we signed him, and has something to contribute to this franchise going forward.
Likewise, I don't like the idea of simply gifting him to the T-Wolves.
My two cents, undervalued as it might be.