New York Knicks center Joakim Noah out for the year

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Joakim Noah's best days are clearly behind him. Now his 2016-17 season is, too.

Sources told The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski that the former Bulls center, who signed with the Knicks this past offseason, will require arthroscopic knee surgery that will cost him the rest of the season.

The Bulls made the decision last offseason to move on from Noah, who had been with the team since 2007. Noah struggled in his last season with the Bulls, averaging just 4.3 points on 38 percent shooting and 8.8 rebounds in 29 games before a shoulder injury in January cost him the rest of the season.

But Phil Jackson and the Knicks thought that Noah, who was named to the All-NBA first team in 2014, had something left in the tank when they signed him to a four-year, $72 million deal in July. Noah was in line to replace departed center Robin Lopez, who the Knicks shipped to Chicago in the Derrick Rose trade.

But Noah again struggled to stay on the court in his first season in the Big Apple, missing 12 games due to various injuries. He averaged 5.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 22.1 minutes. He still has three years and $55.6 million remaining on his deal.

Ironically, Noah had his best game of the year when he returned to Chicago to face the Bulls. Noah scored 16 points, grabbed nine rebounds and handed out four assists in 35 minutes, with the Knicks rolling to a 13-point victory. Two months later he went for 12 points and 16 rebounds in another win over the Bulls.

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