Getty Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks dribbles during the first half against the Houston Rockets at Madison Square Garden.
As OG Anunoby makes his return against the Philadelphia 76ers and Mitchell Robinson is on track to make his comeback soon, Julius Randle remains the big question mark for the New York Knicks.
According to SNY’s Ian Begley, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters on Tuesday, March 12, that Randle hasn’t been cleared for full contact yet.
“Julius Randle’s ‘conditioning is good,” Thibodeau said, per Begley. “He’s shooting, doing individual work, that’s all good. He can do 5-0; that sort of thing. Light contact with the pads.” Randle hasn’t been cleared for full contact yet. That’s the next step in his rehab from a shoulder dislocation.”
If Randle returns this season, Thibodeau noted that “there is [the] risk of re-injury, of course.”
Julius Randle’s ‘conditioning is good,’ Tom Thibodeau said this evening. “He’s shooting, doing individual work, that’s all good. He can do 5-0; that sort of thing. Light contact with the pads.” Randle hasn’t been cleared for full contact yet. That’s the next step in his rehab…
Randle has been out since dislocating his right shoulder on January 27 against the Miami Heat. He elected to undergo rehab instead of getting a season-ending surgery.
Begley raised a level of concern about Randle’s situation following the Knicks’ 79-73 loss to the 76ers on Sunday, March 10.
“There’s a little bit of a concern for him not being cleared yet for contact because he was ahead of OG [Anunoby] in terms of what he was doing and workouts,” Begley said on SNY’s SportsNite. “He’s been at this place now where they’re waiting for him to get cleared for contact for him to play five-on-five and for him to take that next step. And [some people internally] are just wondering why it’s taken a little bit here. So [that’s] just something to keep an eye on as the Knicks go West.”
Randle and Robinson will travel with the Knicks in their four-game road trip which begins on Thursday, March 14, at Portland against the Western Conference’s second-worst team, the rebuilding Trail Blazers.
Mitchell Robinson’s Steady Progress
Thibodeau also shared that Robinson has made steady progress in his recovery from his ankle surgery.
“No contact yet, but that should be coming soon,” Thibodeau said, per New York Daily News’ Kristian Winfield.
The 7-foot Knicks starting center has been out since December 8 last year. The Knicks have posted a 25-18 record since then.
It’s the second straight season that Robinson dealt a serious injury. Last season, he underwent a thumb surgery which caused him to miss 23 games.
Robinson, who turns 26, on April 1 is in the second season of a four-year, $60 million contract.
OG Anunoby Returns After Missing 18 Games
The Knicks hope Anunoby returns with the same impact he had when he joined them via a midseason trade with the Toronto Raptors.
They zoomed to a roaring 14-2 record in January, 12-2 with Anunoby. His arrival turned the Knicks’ deadlast defense in December (123.1 defensive rating) to the league’s best in January (104.4 defensive rating).
During their 14-2 run in January, Anunoby’s plus-minus (plus-252) was the most for any NBA player in his first 14 games with a new team since play-by-play was first tracked in 1996-1997, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
Anunoby averaged 15.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.1 blocks while shooting 51.6% from the field. His seamless fit on their offense was evident in his 40.4% shooting on catch-and-shoot 3s. He’s particularly adept from the right corner, shooting a staggering 48%, nearly 9% above the league average (39.2%), per Statmuse.
His return could help space the floor for Jalen Brunson and provide the Knicks with the perimeter defender they missed during his absence.