If you are worried about Deuce McBride returning in time for the New York Knicks' postseason push, rest assured that you are not alone. And also know that you have nothing to fear.
During the latest episode of The Putback with Ian Begley, the SNY NBA insider said that the 25-year-old is still expected to be "ready to go" for the playoffs:
"I still think there's positivity there, things have been going well.
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 5, 2026
I don't think there's any reason to fret or worry about Miles McBride not being back and ready to go for the postseason.
That's the trajectory that I've heard about and talked to people about, and I haven't… pic.twitter.com/kpucwAB4E0
I believe that I'm speaking for everyone in the Knicks' orbit when I say: Phew.
Getting McBride back in time for the postseason was always the plan. But it came under siege in recent days when the New York Post's Stefan Bondy reported there was a chance Deuce's recovery from sports hernia surgery would sideline him for the rest of the regular season.
Though Begley himself pumped the brakes on all doom-and-gloom speculation, fans have every right to be concerned/anxious/scared out of their minds. The Knicks are hardly ever forthcoming about injuries, and McBride's initial absence did nothing to suggest they'll be more transparent than usual. Everyone initially thought he was sidelined with an ankle injury. The core-muscle/sports hernia issue very much came out of left field.
Begley's latest update is basically acts like a sedative. Or a giant huge. Whichever you prefer. No one is more plugged into this team. If he says McBride is on track to return in time for the playoffs, it's almost assuredly going to happen. And even with Jose Alvarado and Landry Shamet balling out in the backourt, this is huge news for the Knicks.
The Knicks still need Deuce McBride
Mike Brown will have some interesting rotation decisions to make upon McBride’s return. Even if they winnow down his 28 minutes per game, the Knicks have zero room to integrate him without slashing into court time for Shamet, Alvarado, and/or Mohamed Diawara.
This is a great problem to have. These things have a way of working themselves out, too. Another injury could crop up. In the preferred event it doesn’t, the defensive energy championed by Deuce, Alvarado, and Shamet permits New York the freedom to play two of them alongside Jalen Brunson.
Downsizing on the perimeter also serves to inoculate the Knicks’ offense against its struggles when facing pack-the-paint defenses. Their core lineups may need to become more fluid in the playoffs, as teams get more time to gameplan for them, and even more frequently deploy their gimmicky approach to guarding Josh Hart.
McBride can be a critical part of opening up the half-court in those instances. While he adds a dab of shifty ball-handling, it’s all about his long-range efficiency and volume. His 8.9 three-point attempts per 36 minutes lead New York. Kon Knueppel, Tim Hardaway Jr., Collin Gillespie, Isaiah Joe, and Sam Merrill are the only other snipers matching that volume while downing more than 40 percent of their triples.
In an ideal world, Begley would be hearing that the Knicks are absolutely certain Deuce returns before the end of the regular season, with enough time remaining for him to find his sea legs. Who knows, maybe that will happen. Either way, the latest McBride update is terrific news—particularly when you consider the mysterious circumstances under which his extended absence began.