On Monday, New York Knicks fans breathed a sigh of relief when ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Julius Randle is expected to miss weeks, not months. SNY's Ian Begley echoed that statement when he reported the organization is hopeful that Randle will be able to avoid surgery.
While those are undoubtedly positive updates, ESPN's Brian Windhorst came in with a reminder that just because Randle could play again this season, it doesn't mean he'll return to his dominant form. A shoulder injury isn't something easy to bounce back from. Even though Randle could avoid in-season surgery, offseason surgery could be a real possibility. Hopefully, he won't reaggravate or worsen the injury.
Brian Windhorst on Julius Randle: "âĶI've covered many players who've had shoulder injuries. It's a very tricky injury, a dislocated shoulder. Even if you can come back & play on it you & avoid surgery, you're at high risk of re-disclocating it b/c of the nature of it." pic.twitter.com/hqlKENQYDF
â New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 31, 2024
Randle's recovery isn't something the organization is (or should be) taking lightly. Yes, the Knicks' goal is to make a deep playoff run, but Randle's longevity is key. Unfortunately for him, he most likely won't be 100 percent in time for the playoffs. Randle struggled last year in the postseason after spraining his ankle against Miami and reaggravating the injury in the first-round series against Cleveland.
Still, it's a great sign that the MRI and further testing didn't immediately reveal that Randle would have no choice but to sit out for the remainder of 2023-24.
In other Knicks news, Obi Toppin will be back at the Garden on Thursday for the first time since being traded in July. Toppin and the Pacers are coming off a 116-113 loss to the Celtics and are No. 6 in the East, four games back from the No. 3 Knicks.
More Knicks news
- Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Thursday's New York-Indiana game.
- SNY's David Vertsberger reported that the Knicks "covet" Rockets forward Tari Eason. Houston has expressed interest in Quentin Grimes.
- Knicks guard Jalen Brunson is expected to be named an All-Star reserve on Thursday. Randle could receive his third All-Star nod, although Adam Silver would have to select an injury replacement.
NBA news
- Joel Embiid injured his left knee in the fourth quarter of Philadelphia's game at Golden State on Tuesday. He had an MRI on Wednesday. Embiid's listed as out for the Sixers' game against the Jazz on Thursday, meaning that after tomorrow, he'll be five missed games away from being ineligible for the NBA MVP award.
- Marc Gasol officially announced his retirement on Wednesday. He hasn't played in the NBA since the 2020-21 season when he was with the Lakers. The Grizzlies plan to retire his No. 33 jersey.