ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE
From surgery to return, all options still on table for Julius
Julius Randle said he’s planning to return from his dislocated right shoulder on April 1 — then flashed a smile and killed the notion altogether.
“Nah, just kidding,” he laughed. “Gotcha. Early.”
Twenty-five days after dislocating his shoulder in the fourth quarter against the Heat, Randle addressed the injury for the first time, saying he has no return timeline.
In fact, the All-Star forward was unable to rule out mid-season surgery as a possibility — though both he and the Knicks are optimistic he’ll be able to return before the end of the regular season and push a procedure to the offseason.
“We’ll see. You know, I’ve heard many different opinions — both — so we’ll see,” he said. “I like how I feel today as far as getting better, feeling stronger and progressing to where I need to be as far as getting on the court, but I’m never somebody to say never, so ultimately I’ll have to do what’s best for myself to have a long career, to have longevity in this. But the training staff has been great, getting me back healthy and feeling better, so it’s a progress.”
Surgery, of course, would end Randle’s season prematurely, while returning too soon could put his body at greater risk.
While Randle wants to help a Knicks team peaking as high as third in the East before injuries mounted, he doesn’t want to do so at the expense of his future.
He sustained the injury in the fourth quarter of the victory over the Heat. In the game’s final moments, he crashed to the ground after Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. attempted to take a charge on his drive to the rim.
Randle landed awkwardly and immediately checked himself out of the game.
After Thursday’s Knicks practice, Randle said he knew the injury was bad the moment it happened.
“We’re just taking it step by step, I think it’s premature to say anything until you have all the information,” said Tom Thibodeau. “Right now he’s preparing to come back to play and he’s putting a lot into it. He looks good.
“He’s got a great spirit about him. He’s working out twice a day. So all things are good right now.”
Randle has yet to be cleared to practice, but Thibodeau said “he’s doing well overall.”
“He’s meeting all the markers,” he said. “He’s moving around pretty good. Just take it day by day, keep doing everything that they’re asking you to. He’s working out twice a day, so he’s doing well overall.”
Randle is one of three Knicks starters who have missed an extended period of time due to injury.
OG Anunoby had inflammation in his right elbow caused by a loose bone fragment and underwent surgery. Mitchell Robinson is recovering from December ankle surgery.
None of them have a concrete injury return timeline — and Randle’s absence could be felt most for a team attempting to retain its standing as the Eastern Conference’s No. 4 seed.
“I’m just taking it a day at a time to be honest,” he said. “Every day I’m getting stronger and better. So just taking it a day at a time, continue to stay locked in on what I have to do to continue to get healthy, not just physically but mentally as well.”