NEW YORK — So much for Derrick Rose saving the Knicks season.
Rose, 33, will undergo “a minor procedure” on his ankle, the Knicks said Friday, with his recovery time undetermined.
Rose had surgery in late December to fix a bone spur in his ankle. He missed 30 consecutive games and the Knicks season went down the toilet. Rose returned to full-contact practice this week and Tom Thibodeau was hopeful for an imminent return.
“It’s still a possibility (he plays Friday against the Heat),” Tom Thibodeau said after Thursday’s practice. “We want to make sure he’s ready to go. It’s conditioning. There’s nothing you can do to replicate an NBA game so he’s taking on contact for the first time (Wednesday) and today. He’s got to get used to taking contact. He did everything.”
But obviously, something didn’t feel right.
When Rose was supposed to return and eat up minutes at point guard, Kemba Walker negotiated his departure from the team to “concentrate on next season.” Walker’s still under contract but it’s unlikely he’ll return.
Alec Burks is likely to start at point guard and the Knicks can also fill the reserve holes with Immanuel Quickley and Miles McBride.
