New York Knicks: Grade, Analysis For Joakim Noah Deal

Noah’s Fit Offensively

Joakim Noah has built a reputation as being one of the best facilitating big men in recent NBA history. Since 1980, only two players that were 6-feet-11 inches or taller, Vlade Divac and Kevin Garnett, averaged at least 5.4 assists as Noah did during the 2013-14 season.

Noah showed that he was more than capable of handling the offense being ran through him, as the Bulls changed their plans with Derrick Rose able to appear in only 10 games. That makes Noah a great fit for the triangle offense that the Knicks look like they will still be using some principles of.

In that regard, Noah fits in well as his decision making and playmaking ability will be on display. But, that is about all the positives offensively as Noah has been a train wreck offensively otherwise the past two seasons.

Noah has seen his shooting percentage drop for five consecutive seasons, plummeting to a scary bad 38.3 percent during his injury filled 2015-16 campaign. That is a horrific number for a center that took all but nine shots from within 10 feet of the basket.

That makes him easier to defend, as he is barely a threat to score around the basket, let alone away from it. The Knicks are already looking at some spacing issues with Rose at point guard, who is merely average as a spot up shooter if the Knicks decide to have Noah initiate the offense; Rose had a 49.5 effective shooting percentage on catch-and-shoot chances last season according to Synergy Sports.

As a result, Noah is not going to improve the Knicks much offensively other than he is more established and comfortable with the ball in his hands than Lopez was. But, Lopez finishes better than Noah does at this stage of his career mostly because injuries have sapped Noah in recent seasons.

Next: Defensive Impact