Joakim Noah is on the Knicks' training camp roster but was excused from attending while the particulars of his buyout continue to be worked out.
Coach David Fizdale said he spoke with Noah over the phone in the offseason, but apparently he couldn't bridge the discord.
"With us, we had a great conversation but it was the stuff that happened before me here I can't really speak to that," Fizdale said. "(Myself and the front office) all sat down to talk about stuff. (President Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry) are going to be the ones to negotiate this thing."
Noah is still owed $38 million, but the Knicks can create nearly $13 million in cap space for next summer if they waive and stretch the contract. They've tried to work out a trade but nobody would take Noah unless he comes with a first-round pick, which the Knicks are against giving up.
The Knicks could also wait until next July to waive Noah and see if a better deal opens up. But apparently they'd prefer to wash their hands now of the stench.
Noah hasn't been with the team since his altercation with former coach Jeff Hornacek in January.
"It is what it is. A lot of that stuff happened before I was here," said Fizdale, who coached against Noah for several years as an assistant in Miami. "So I try not to get too engaged in that. I really got a lot of respect for the guy just because of the relationship and combat we've been through."
