Nothing went well for Joakim Noah with the Knicks, and on Thursday he finally revealed why.
"I'm too lit to play in New York City," Noah said on The Ringer's "The Chris Vernon Show," referring to his penchant for partying. "I was too lit. Memphis is perfect for me. Chicago was lit, too, but I was younger. You can recover faster."
Well, that settles it then.
Noah signed a one-year, veteran minimum deal with the Grizzlies earlier this month after a nightmarish two-year tenure with the Knicks. New York waived the 33-year-old in October after failing to find a trade partner, instead using the stretch provision on the remainder of his $72 million contract.
Noah struggled to stay on the court with multiple injuries and a PED suspension. But even when he was healthy he underperformed, averaging 4.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and a putrid 43.9 free-throw percentage in 53 games.
Noah was exiled by the team after a heated argument with then-Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek.
After joining the Grizzlies, the big man said he was glad to move on.
"I'm just really happy that I had a team that believed in me and gave me a shot," he said, according to the Commercial Appeal. "It was a rough couple years in New York, so to be in this position right now, I'm not taking it for granted."
Noah has been able to contribute coming off the Memphis bench. In five games, he's averaging 6.2 points and 3.8 rebounds over 16 minutes per night.