Sources: Joakim Noah, Knicks near agreement on 4-year, $72 million deal

— -- Joakim Noah and the New York Knicks are nearing agreement on a four-year deal worth $72 million, league sources told ESPN's Chris Broussard.

Noah will meet with the Knicks on Friday in Orlando, Florida, sources said.

The Knicks had emerged as the strong favorite to sign the free-agent big man, league sources previously told ESPN. Sources said multiple teams interested in Noah had all but conceded that the Knicks were his runaway preferred destination.

No deals can be officially signed until July 7, but teams and free agents could start coming to verbal agreements on contracts ?starting at 12:01 a.m. ET Friday.

The Knicks also have several shooting guards on their radar, including Austin Rivers, Evan Turner, Eric Gordon and Courtney Lee, sources told ESPN's Ian Begley.

However, the first domino is Noah. If and when the Knicks agree to a number with Noah, they will move on to shooting guard.

The club also hasn't ruled out the possibility of meeting with Kevin Durant, sources say.

The Knicks' interest in Rivers and location of the Noah meeting were first reported by The Vertical.