The Knicks could be without Frank Ntilikina, Kristaps Porzingis, and Joakim Noah in Friday's preseason game against the Wizards.

Joakim Noah won't be able to play in the first 12 games of the regular season, but he's still looking forward to making positives strides when he does return. 

Noah took part in his first preseason game on Friday against the Wizards, collecting two points, five rebound and two assists. Due to his suspension for violating the NBA's substance abuse policy, the forward will not be allowed to play in the regular season until mid-November at the earliest. 

"It's been a long time away from the game," Noah told reporters Friday. "I'm still a work in progress. I'm just excited to get back on the court. I'm dealing with a lot of adversity right now. It's just where the cards fell. It's like being a rookie all over again. I got to prove myself, I got to prove myself every day. It's my challenge. It's the challenge that I put myself in. I just got to keep working every day."

Knicks center Joakim Noah will make his preseason deubt Friday when New York faces the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena, head coach Jeff Hornacek said.

Noah, who has 12 games remaining on his suspension from violating the league's substance abuse policy, is eligible to make is regular-season debut Nov. 13 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Entering the second year of a four-year, $72 million deal, Noah has been medically cleared after undergoing shoulder surgery in April, but did not suit up for the team's preseason opener on Tuesday against the Brooklyn Nets.

The 32-year-old Noah averaged five points and 8.8 rebounds in 46 games last season.

Knicks rookie Frank Ntilikina will play in the team's preseason game against the Nets on Tuesday night, the team announced.

Coach Jeff Hornacek said Joakim Noah, Ron Baker, Luke Kornet, and Mindaugas Kuzminskas will not suit up.

Ntilikina will make his NBA preseason debut after being drafted eighth overall in the first round of the draft in June. The 18-year-old was the MVP of the FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship last year.

Noah, who was plagued by injuries and a suspension in his first season with the Knicks, is eligible to play during the preseason and has been practicing with the team. He has 11 games remaining on his suspension.

Jake Brown | Twitter | The preseason opener is tonight, with the Knicks' first test coming against the Brooklyn Nets. The results of the games obviously don't matter, but playing their crosstown rival should give them a little extra motivation. Head coach Jeff Hornacek has a brand new roster with a whole new outlook now that Carmelo Anthony is gone. He's got a lot of tough decisions to make and that all begins tonight. Let's take a look at what we should watch for.

How will point guard work out?

There is a decent chance Frank Ntilikina won't play tonight due to a sore groin. If he still has the groin issue, there's no point in the Knicks throwing him out there in a meaningless game. What this does mean, though, is that there is going to be a small chance that the rookie starts the season opener against Melo and the Thunder in Oklahoma City...

Knicks C Joakim Noah spoke on Monday about the issue of gun violence, the morning after the deadliest mass shooting in United States history took place at a country music festival on the Las Vegas strip.

"It's very sad and condolences to everybody who is affected," Noah said, according to Ian Begley of ESPN. "It's a tragedy. Just the wrong people with their hands on automatic weapons."

"When you start talking about gun violence, you're just a liberal idiot, you know? It is an issue," Noah said. "There's nothing wrong with being critical about your country. Especially when you love your country, this country's done so much for me. I love this country a lot but there's nothing wrong with being aware and understanding that there's definitely some issues."

SNY.tv takes a look at the five biggest questions for the Knicks heading into the 2017-18 NBA season.

Knicks C Joakim Noah is looking to put his first year as a Knick behind him, and redeem himself this season. 

Noah signed a hefty four-year, $72 million contract with the Knicks last offseason, and with that, came high expectations for the veteran center. On the contrary, Noah had a tumultuous season which is why he wants to give the Knicks and their fans exactly what he got paid to do.

"I'm in a position where I had a really rough year last year, I'm coming off injuries," Noah told The Post's Marc Berman. "And I just want to redeem myself for myself more than anybody else. Just come back and, look, I got paid a lot of money to be here and i just want to be at peace with that."

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. -- After Enes Kanter found out he had been traded to the Knicks as part of the Carmelo Anthony deal, he woke up in the middle of the night and reminded himself what had just happened.

"When I heard about the news first I was doing a basketball camp for orphans in Oklahoma City," Kanter explained at Knicks' Media Day, where he and Doug McDermott were introduced on the same day Anthony spoke at Oklahoma City's Media Day. "And my friend brought me my phone and he said, 'Hey, this is urgent. And I said, 'I'm doing a camp.' And he said, 'It's urgent."

It was Kanter's manager on the other end of the line informing him of the trade...

Jake Brown | Twitter |

The Carmelo Anthony era has come to an end all the drama is done with, with the Knicks bringing Enes Kanter and Doug McDermott back to New York.

The Knicks were not going to get much better of a return than this. I don't think the Cavaliers were trading Kevin Love, and that would be the only return that was any better. Maybe the Knicks could have gotten a first round pick instead of a second round pick, but that's about it. I like the pieces the Knicks got here. 

Knicks C Joakim Noah "looks great" as he prepares for the upcoming season, teammate Michael Beasley says.

"I mean, he's cut up. He's got 25 abs right now," Beasley said, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. "He's in shape. Y'all know he's strong as hell."

Noah, who has been practicing and working out at the Knicks' training facility, will be suspended for the first 12 games of the season following his failed drug test last season.

Knicks C Joakim Noah understands his mistakes and is ready to have a bounce back season in 2017, per The Post's Marc Berman. 

Knicks C Joakim Noah understands his mistakes and is ready to have a bounce back season in 2017, per The Post's Marc Berman. 

Noah's first season with the Knicks was not how he wanted it to go. Between poor play, knee surgery, and a 20-game suspension for a banned substance, he feels he let the team -- especially former team president Phil Jackson -- down.

Latest Update (April 27)

9:20AM: Joakim Noah had shoulder surgery on Wednesday to repair his right rotator cuff, the Knicks announced Thursday morning.

The surgery was performed by Dr. David Altchek at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan.

Jeff Hornacek told Ian Begley of ESPN that Noah's recovery time is approximately five months.

Marc Malusis and Jon Hein debate if Joakim Noah's deal was the worst contract in NBA history based on his playing time since.

Joakim Noah has been medically cleared by the NBA's independent doctor and will begin his 20-game suspension on Wednesday night, reports Ian Begley of ESPN.

Noah will miss the final eight games of this season and the first 12 of the 2017-18 season.

He said the substance that resulted in the suspension was not approved by the Knicks' medical staff and that he took it while rehabbing from an injury.

Jeff Hornacek hinted to reporters on Monday that the Knicks will be working on upgrading their defense during the offseason.

"I think if you look at our defense this year, we can use some more defensive players," Hornacek told Ian Begley of ESPN. "[Management] will look at that. [General manager] Steve [Mills] and [president] Phil [Jackson] and those guys will look at whatever can help us out. We know we need some help there."

New York has been in the bottom third of the NBA on defense throughout the entire season, which was a significant factor in the team missing the playoffs for the fourth straight season. However the Knicks will have a top-10 pick in this year's draft, and can have nearly $25 million in cap space to spend in free agency, depending on their decision on the future of Derrick Rose with the franchise.

The New York Knicks will re-evaluate forward Joakim Noah's status to see if he is medically cleared to practice and begin serving his suspension, head coach Jeff Hornacek said to Newsday's Laura Albanese prior to Monday's game against the Detroit Pistons.

Hornacek also said Carmelo Anthony will play after missing the Knicks' past two games with a sore left knee, while Lance Thomas will miss his third straight game with a sore right hip despite an MRI coming back clean.

The NBA suspended Noah 20 games for violating the league's anti-drug policy after he tested positive for a substance found in some over-the-counter supplements, however Noah, who has not played since Feb. 4 due to a left knee injury, won't begin serving the suspension until he is physically able to play.

The Knicks hope Noah can be cleared by Wednesday's game against the Miami Heat, according to ESPN's Ian Begley, meaning he would serve eight games of the suspension this season.

Knicks C Willy Hernangomez has been a soild offensive contributor but knows he needs to improve defensively.

"I have to be way more focused on defense," Hernangomez said Saturday, according to Al Iannazzone of Newsday. "I think from the beginning of the season right now I improved my defense, but it's not enough. One of the biggest things I have to work this summer is going to be my defense so next year I can defend [centers] and [power forwards]."

Hernangomez scored a career-high 24 points on Saturday while grabbing 13 rebounds in 36 minutes. He is averaging 7.5 points and 6.8 rebounds in 63 games this season, during what is his rookie campaign.

Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek said Hernangomez needs to be more assertive, citing a couple of plays from Saturday night's game...

Knicks center Joakim Noah was suspended for 20 games for violating the NBA's anti-drug program, the NBA announced on Saturday morning.

Knicks C Joakim Noah said he is walking without a limp and has started the rehabilitation process following last month's knee surgery, according to Al Iannazzone of Newsday.

Noah will begin strengthening work on Monday, Iannazzone said. The 32-year-old has not played since Feb. 4 and may miss the remainder of the season. He is expected to be re-evaluated this month.

He is upset with the way he's played this year and said it's frustrating to not be able to contribute at this point...

Keith Schlosser, SNY.tv

With the release of Brandon Jennings and a likely season-ending injury to Joakim Noah, Knicks have a newfound freedom to explore what this team could be like next season. There's room to acquire somewhat of a taste. Noah figures to be around, but his inability to play big minutes leaves a question mark around his pending impact. As for Jennings, New York had seen enough after signing him to a one-year deal. This simply wasn't the right fit for him.

Win or lose, New York needs to continue examining which of their already in place pieces are worth keeping moving forward. That's what the next month plus should be about. There's an opportunity to answer questions regarding the future. Will this stay of execution past the trade deadline prove Carmelo Anthony can take somewhat of a backseat and play a supporting role to Kristaps Porzingis? Derrick Rose still leaves something to be desired on the court, but does do some positive things. Can he still fit and be retained at a reasonable price this offseason? Which of the team's youngsters have the potential to flourish in an expanded roles? Here's a look at some opportunities that could prove to be small stepping stones for this team as they plan ahead.

Balanced point guard play: With Jennings in town, the Knicks had two offensively minded floor generals who both looked to score. He and Derrick Rose simply weren't the best match, despite how talented each one was. 

Keith Schlosser, SNY.tv

As hope of competing for a postseason spot fades away, the Knicks' focus will become making evaluations and building for next year. When management reflects upon this season's shortcomings, a failure to execute the triangle offense properly figures to always be a topic of conversation with Phil Jackson running the show.

Jackson's third full season as Knicks executive is nearing its end. He's had plenty of opportunities to make judgement calls and usher in the players he believes best fit his desired system. At some point (perhaps the team has already reached it), he won't be able to point fingers anymore. Should players be poor fits or not be producing, that says more about Jackson than it does them. It's a reflection upon his inability to put together a successful team. It's time to look in the mirror.

Such a mentality is also worth noting, not only as he evaluates his players, but the coaching staff as well. With a 24-36 record, the Knicks are currently worse off now than they were at this point in the season last season. Jeff Hornacek is not at fault.

Following the release of guard Brandon Jennings and a possible season-ending injury to Joakim Noah, New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek said the team is not tanking to get a better slot in the NBA draft lottery.

Speaking to the media before Monday's game against the Toronto Raptors, Hornacek told reporters he thought the Knicks could still contend for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference despite cutting Jennings and losing Noah for an extended period of time due to arthroscopic surgery.

Hornacek "bristled at the notion" that cutting Jennings, which the Knicks did Monday morning, was a sign of the team tanking, according to Newsday's Al Iannazzone. Rather, it was a mutual decision, according to the New York Post's Marc Berman.

Jennings reportedly told management he wanted to play for a playoff contender this season, however he did not ask for a waiver or to be traded, according to Berman.

Keith Schlosser, SNY.tv

By the time NBA All-Star Weekend came to a close, there was refreshing optimism in the air surrounding the Knicks. Carmelo Anthony and Willy Hernangomez were late additions to the festivities. Kristaps Porzingis went home a winner after snagging the trophy at the Skills Challenge. Following the passing of the trade deadline, New York stood pat. After a spirited Cleveland loss and an exhilarating win against the 76ers, signs led to the Knicks wanting to remain competitive, for better or worse.

But alas, reality has begun to set in. Waiving Brandon Jennings may be the domino effect for the tone of the rest of the season. The dust probably hasn't cleared. More changes could be on the way. It's time to look towards the future, build towards the draft, embrace and explore more youthful talent, etc. With that in mind, here's a look at the Knicks will face in the week ahead and beyond.

Defensive Communication: The Knicks' defense has been a raw source of frustration for this team all season long. Frankly, it's a bit strange to see a squad that added players like Joakim Noah, Courtney Lee, and Willy Hernangomez in the offseason struggle on that end of the floor. Clearly, putting up a consistent effort on defense had been an initial priority. Such a plan hasn't come to fruition.

Knicks C Joakim Noah had arthrosopic surgery on his left knee on Monday and will be reevaluated in three-to-four weeks, the team announced.

He is expected to miss the remainder of the season due to the surgery, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reported.

Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek said Noah could potentially return before the season ends, but didn't seem optimistic, reports Ian Begley of ESPN.

With Joakim Noah set to miss his eighth straight game on Monday, Knicks rookie C Willy Hernangomez will likely get another start.

Hernangomez has performed well as of late, starting the last four games and averaging 10.5 points and 9.5 rebounds on 58.6 percent shooting in 27.9 minutes. However the 22-year old is still getting accustomed to playing in the NBA.

"Sometimes, I think too much," Hernangomez said to Fred Kerber of the New York Post. "So I need to let my body just play. Let my mind play. I think too much, like if I miss a shot."

Willy Hernangomez, who has been starting at center for the Knicks with Joakim Noah out, had another good game during Thursday night's loss to the Cavaliers.

Hernangomez had 11 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in 27 minutes.

He turned the ball over just once and committed three personal fouls.

Joakim Noah, who tweaked his hamstring in practice prior to the All-Star break, missed practice on Wednesday, the Knicks said.

Courtney Lee (illness) also missed practice.

Noah's injury will cause him to miss Thursday's game against the Cavaliers, Newsday's Barbara Barker reported earlier this week...

Keith Schlosser, SNY.tv

With the NBA still coming off its All-Star Weekend, the Knicks have not played since losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder last Tuesday. But alas, the late additions of Carmelo Anthony and Willy Hernangomez to the weekend's festivities gave the team's fan base a little bit more to be excited about and invested in as things went on in New Orleans. 

When just about everyone in the NBA world collides for a few days, talk about the Knicks is never too far away. Speculation regarding the team's future, especially with the trade deadline steadily approaching, is running ramped as we speak. With that in mind, here are three things to ponder around this team in the week that follows.

C Joakim Noah will miss his fifth consecutive game on Wednesday, according to Ian Begley of ESPN.

Noah has been out with a hamstring injury since leaving the game against the Cavaliers early on Feb. 4. 

C Willy Hernangomez will start at center against the Thunder.

Former Knick Greg Anthony, who spent four seasons in New York as a teammate of Charles Oakley, believes players will look at the Knicks in a different light because of the recent treatment of Oakley and Carmelo Anthony.

"It sure as hell ain't gonna help..." said Anthony in an interview with Business Insider. "It's one thing to have your struggles on the court, but this is kind of becoming a domino effect where everything that can go wrong is going wrong for the organization. And it creates a tremendous distraction for the players that are still battling and fighting and figuring out a way to get into the postseason."

The Knicks are facing a rebuild, something the franchise has historically not done slowly through the draft. This past offseason, New York traded for Derrick Rose, while committing over $120 million to Joakim Noah and Courtney Lee in an attempt to improve the team quickly. Anthony believes the situation involving Oakley will not do the team any favors in trying to attract free agents in the future.

Keith Schlosser, SNY.tv

On pace to miss the NBA postseason for the fourth straight season, Carmelo Anthony knows what losing is all about. Since the Knicks won the Atlantic Division title back in 2012-13, Anthony has slowly but surely seen all of the talented veterans from that successful squad depart the Big Apple. In turn, the spotlight casts its shadow more and more on the star forward. Anthony has been unable to deliver since then.

Things are finally appearing to come to a head with New York shopping Anthony more aggressively than ever before. The team is motivated to deal him, as the vision with him leading the Knicks back to the promise land hasn't come any closer to fruition. As Anthony watches his closest friends and NBA counterparts chase and successfully capture NBA titles, he's arguably as far as he's ever been from one. This means it's time for a change all around. Nevertheless, Phil Jackson hasn't done himself or the team any favors. This organization has a negative vibe around it and the executive's recent comments and respective actions certainly haven't made things any easier for Anthony. 

Unfortunately for the Knicks' future, Anthony may not be the only one suffering from this lack of positive culture. New York is motivated to shop Anthony, not only because things haven't worked out, but because they have a beacon of light in Kristaps Porzingis to turn to next. Still, this slow transition and negative atmosphere can't be doing the budding superstar any good. Anthony obviously has more experience with this by now, but Porzingis too is getting used to losing. Through a season and a half, the young gun's Knickerbockers have gone 54-82. He's already been mentored by three head coaches. Teams have been known to change players from one season to the next: it's relatively normal. Nevertheless, after drastically changing the makeup of last year's squad, the revolving door would appear likely to keep swinging, given this season's shortcomings. More changes are coming.

While the drama between Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony has caused the Knicks to look for a trade for their star player, superfan and legendary director Spike Lee made it very clear which of the two he would rather have stay in New York.

"I'll pack Phil's bags for him," Lee told ESPN.

The latest Jackson-Anthony tension stems from a tweet Jackson sent on Tuesday that referenced a Bleacher Report article that was critical of Anthony. 

Latest Update (Feb. 6)

5:20 p.m.: Knicks PG Derrick Rose will return from a four-game absence when New York hosts the Los Angeles Lakers at Madison Square Garden on Monday night.

Joakim Noah will miss Monday's game due to a hamstring injury. Kyle O'Quinn will start in place of Noah, according to MSG's Rebecca Haarlow.

Keith Schlosser, SNY.tv

Looking back, the Knicks are currently nowhere near where anyone thought they'd be. Carmelo Anthony is facing a fourth straight year without a playoff appearance. With his own fate/success as an executive seemingly tied to that of his team's star forward, Phil Jackson has failed amid the continued pressure to put a consistent product on the court. He went all in last summer, spending on veterans and proven contributors. New York's inability to meet expectations has led to trade speculation all around, which ultimately prevents this group from creating and maintaining the positive culture Jackson aspired to develop.
 
All of this has given way to a very underwhelming 6-19 record in 2017. The Knicks had to put forth a really strong comeback effort just to defeat the 9-40 Nets last week. Here's a look at some of the questions facing New York as they look for stability.

Carmelo Anthony was not mad about being benched during the fourth quarter of Wednesday's game against the Nets, head coach Jeff Hornacek said Saturday.

"He was happy for the guys. The guys were playing well," Hornacek said, according to ESPN New York's Ian Begley. 

The Knicks rallied in the fourth quarter, largely due to the efforts of the bench players.

Keith Schlosser, SNY.TV:

The NBA trade deadline is less than a month away, which gives the Knicks a limited amount of time to explore and pull the trigger on a blockbuster deal involving Carmelo Anthony. 

While they could certainly wait until the offseason, moving Anthony sooner than later would give the team a clear direction as they start fresh and look toward the NBA Draft.

Keith Schlosser, SNY.TV:

Joakim Noah has finally found more consistency rebounding the ball and hasn't played up to his former disappearing act as of late, and the Knicks also want to experiment more with Kristaps Porzingis at the center position. 

The above developments sensibly limit Willy Hernangomez's opportunities, but he's still making the most of them. As he continues to do so, Kyle O'Quinn's minutes have decreased. It's not as if he is playing poorly, but Hernangomez has just been too good to ignore.

Keith Schlosser, SNY.tv

With a 3-9 record in 2017, the Knicks certainly aren't looking like the contenders Phil Jackson intended to build them to be last offseason. Still only three games out of a playoff spot, there's still plenty of time to make a worthwhile run. Nevertheless, momentum hasn't been in the team's favor for a number of reasons.

Thus, decisions need to be made. Is it worth scrapping together an effort to squeeze in as the eight seed, in effect losing out a solid draft pick to help build upon the future with? The players may appreciate some clarity one way or another.

Some players are assets that can be moved. For those that can't be dealt seamlessly, it's up to the Knicks to utilize their talents full on and go from there. Here's a look at a few things effecting the current state of the Knicks. 

Kristaps Porzingis had 15 points and five rebounds in 29 minutes in his return during Thursday night's 113-110 loss to the Wizards at Madison Square Garden.

Porzingis, who has been dealing with an Achilles injury, was seeing his first game action since Jan. 11.

He received results of an MRI on Thursday, which revealed no structural damage in the Achilles.

Latest Update (Jan. 19)

6:00PM: An MRI confirmed no structural damage to the left Achillies of F Kristaps Porzingis, the Knicks announced Thursday evening.

Porzingis will be available for tonight's game.

C Joakim Noah's MRI confirmed a sprained left ankle, and the center will not suit up for tonight's game.

With the injured Kristaps Porzingis and Joakim Noah out, Derrick Rose scored 30 points during Wednesday night's 117-106 win over the Celtics.

Rose added 10 rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and two steals.

"Teammates were giving me the ball and wanted me to take the shots and told me to be aggressive and they called by number," Rose said, according to the NY Post. "We didn't fuss while we were on the floor. We've been talking about playing this way the last 10 to 15 games. There's been ups and downs, mostly downs. Hopefully a win like this can spark something."

The Knicks could bench Joakim Noah and shift Kristaps Porzingis to center to start in Noah's place, head coach Jeff Hornacek suggested.

"We're going to look over that," Hornacek said after Monday's loss to the Hawks, according to the NY Daily News. "Maybe mix it up a little bit more."

Noah had seven points and 17 rebounds during Monday's loss.

Keith Schlosser, SNY.TV:

The Knicks are still losers of 11 out of their last 13 games, but they've broken the seal on the new year with 2 wins in 2017. There's a long way to go and New York has to make a run rather quickly if they want to prove they can compete before decisions need to be made.

Will this team become a seller closer to the trading deadline? Will they start to explore trades for Carmelo Anthony and their other long-term contracts in the coming weeks and into the offseason? This all remains to be seen.
 
There's an overcast of uncertainty surrounding this team, but head coach Jeff Hornacek's bold move against the Atlanta Hawks worked wonders. Ron Baker and Mindaugas Kuzminskas both provided tremendous energy. As Courtney Lee moved to the bench and the duo found success, it was a message to other starters (or key members of the rotation) that they could be next if they're not performing. 
 
Let's take a look at some of the other more pressing issues facing the Knicks..

TNT Basketball analyst Brent Barry told the NY Post that Joakim Noah is a terrible fit for the Knicks and that Carmelo Anthony should ask to be traded.

"I was a little bit shocked,'' Barry said about the Knicks signing Noah to a four-year deal worth $72 million this offseason. "Who else was bidding for Noah's services? Maybe Washington. It was an interesting gamble in the sense the last couple of years he had not been healthy."

Barry added that Noah doesn't fit in Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek's system.

New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose left the team without permission for Monday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans to deal with what he told teammates as a family issue back in Chicago, according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

Rose's absence, which surprised several teammates and temporarily went unaccounted for, could possibly lead to a suspension and may have cost himself long-term job security with the Knicks, according to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Head coach Jeff Hornacek did not specify why Rose was not with the team for the Knicks' 110-96 loss, even after teammate Courtney Lee said Rose, who has played in 33 of 38 games this season, was at shootaround before the game, according to ESPN's Ian Begley. The Knicks' full statement during the game, according to Deadspin, was, "He's not with the team."