When Joakim Noah signed a 4-year, $72 million deal with the New York Knicks last summer, he was expected to be a long-term answer for the team at the all-important center position alongside budding star Kristaps Porzingis.

However, due to injury and a drug suspension, Noah played just 46 games and struggled mightily, averaging 5.0 points and 8.8 rebounds over 22.1 minutes. He also shot an embarrassing 43.6 percent from the free throw line, which was a career-worst by a wide margin.

When asked to reflect on his season, Noah made it a point to voice his support for ex-president of basketball operations Phil Jackson, who left the organization earlier this summer.

“It’s tough, man, because I got a lot of love and respect for Phil,’’ Noah said in a 75-minute interview on the “Truth Barrel” podcast. “He gave me an opportunity to play back home. Somebody I read all his books as a kid. I was just a big fan and still am. I have a lot of respect for him. It didn’t work out. That sucks. It’s something I have to live with. He believed in me, and I kind of let him down. That’s frustrating. He got a lot of blame that it was his fault. But we didn’t lose all those games because of Phil Jackson.’’

Since his departure, no player has given such a passionate defense of Jackson, who struggled to put together a championship-caliber team during his tenure with the club.

Despite the injury and embarrassing performance-enhancing drug suspension, which will be in effect for 12 more games at the beginning of this upcoming season, Noah wouldn’t change his experience if he could.

“I wouldn’t trade it for s–t,’’ Noah said via the New York Post. “I know a lot of people are mad about it, but I’m not. I don’t feel sorry for myself. Everything that happened were my decisions. I’m a grown-ass man. I’m playing in New York City. It sucked because I didn’t play well. I get to bounce back and come back next year. … I’m not going to quit.”

“I know New York — I know if I can come back and get it right, that could be a big story, too,’’ he added.

Noah also made it clear that he’s not going to back down and will attempt to come back stronger than ever.

“They didn’t like me in Chicago at first, too, but New York was different,’’ Noah said on the podcast. “I grew up a Knicks fan, too. I had so much respect for [the organization]. Everything that stands for being a Knickerbocker, playing at the Garden. But I didn’t feel I could move the way I could. I lost my confidence. They were on me, man. That’s not going to change. That’s New York.”

“I still have an unbelievable opportunity throughout all this s–t. I can go out there and hold my head high and do my job like a man,’’ Noah said. “That might not be enough for a Knicks fan because I’m making a lot of money, but it’s not about Knicks fans, it’s about me being comfortable. I can’t say last year I was happy the way the s–t went down. I left there head down, hurt. If I can end next year [knowing] I busted my ass this year no matter what and be a good influence in the locker room, I want to make sure this group is going in the right direction.’’

If Noah performs up to his capability and Carmelo Anthony isn’t traded, the Knicks could surprisingly have one of the strongest frontcourts in the Eastern Conference next season. But, at this point, there are a lot more questions than answers in New York.