Mysterious neck injury keeps Lee planted on sideline

MIAMI — The concern regarding Courtney Lee’s mysterious neck injury that has kept him out since the third day of training camp continues to grow.

The Knicks’ starting shooting guard last season is on the trading block, but his extended absence appears unrelated. Lee saw neck specialists Monday and didn’t travel with the team to Milwaukee.

He rejoined the squad on Tuesday, clearly trying to make it back this season despite an unclear role.

Coach David Fizdale said Lee will need to undergo more tests to find either a remedy or the cause of recent neck spasms that occurred after he returned to practice in the days leading into the season opener and suffered a setback.

Fizdale made a reference to the neck pain traveling to Lee’s chest. Lee’s original in- jury occurred early in camp after a hard foul by Ron Baker.

“Still has to do more tests,” Fizdale said at the morning shootaround before the Knicks’ 110-87 loss to the Heat Wednesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena. “They still have to look at more stuff and how he responds to certain things. See where it goes from there. Just one of those weird little injuries that’s hard to shake.”

Dealing with traveling neck pain, of course, is complicated, and the Knicks have given no timetable.

Lee, 33, was not made available to the media either Tuesday or at Wednesday’s shootaround.

The Knicks have looked to trade Lee’s contract, which has two years and $25 million left on it. They still are about $3 million short of opening up a maximum salary-slot for a targeted freeagent such as Kevin Durant, who visits the Garden on Fri- day for the Warriors’ lone appearance before he hits the market.

The Knicks could always use the stretch provision on Lee in December, when they need to open a roster spot for shooting guard Allonzo Trier. But that would put him on the cap until 2021. A trade to a contender would work out for everyone if Lee can get healthy at some point.

Even with Kevin Knox’s sprained left ankle, Lee doesn’t have a clear spot, as young shooting guard Damyean Dotson has taken over that role well. Trier, on a two-way G-league contract, also has played far better than expected.

The Knicks thought they would get back point guard Emmanuel Mudiay (ankle) on Wednesday for his season debut. But he rested against the Heat and likely will be available Friday.