Joakim Noah to be suspended 20 games for testing positive for banned substance

Knicks center Joakim Noah has been suspended for 20 games for testing positive for a banned substance, per Adrian Wojnarowski.

Noah tested positive for an over-the-counter supplement that is prohibited under the outgoing Collective Bargaining Agreement, league sources said.

Noah, 32, is expected to serve 10 games of the suspension to finish out the 2016-17 regular season and 10 games to start the 2017-18 season, league sources said.

The National Basketball Players Association’s investigation concluded that Noah hadn’t “knowingly or willingly” violated the policy and cooperated fully with the league’s probe, league sources said.

Personally, I think suspensions for over-the-counter supplements are the dumbest thing in sports, but rules are rules.

As far as the Knicks are concerned, this is a 10-game suspension set to take effect next season — Noah was going to miss the end of this season anyway. He hasn’t played played in months as he rehabs from a knee injury. The Knicks have five centers on the current roster — five! —- and are guaranteed to have at least two dudes capable of holding down the starting position next season in Noah’s absence: Kristaps Porzingis and Willy Hernangomez. Please feel free to get rid of the other centers this summer, Knicks.

The real losers in this deal are Phil Jackson’s already tattered reputation (four years???) and Noah’s bank account.

This season can’t end soon enough.

Update:

The split on Noah’s suspension may change, as he might not be ready for the final 10 games of this season.

Stay tuned!