Sources – Optimism Knicks’ Julius Randle out weeks, not months

As testing continues The New York Knicks forward Julio RandleBecause of the dislocated right shoulder, there is optimism that his timeline for a return will be measured in weeks and not months, sources told ESPN.

Randle underwent an MRI on Saturday night, and while the evaluation is not completely complete, there is hope that Randle can avoid a surgical procedure and return after missing several weeks, not months, sources said.

“He’s being smart right now, and so are we,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said before Monday night’s game. 113-92 victory about him charlotte hornets. “So we’re gathering the information and then we’ll make a good decision. I think that’s a big part of the decision making.”

The NBA All-Star break in mid-February also creates a 10-day gap in games for Randle and the Knicks.

Randle landed hard on his shoulder at the end of a 125-109 victory over the Miami Heat on Saturday. It also helps that Randle is a left-handed player.

Randle has been at the helm of the Knicks’ breakout season, which includes 13 wins in 15 games in the month of January. He is averaging 24 points and 9.2 rebounds this season.

Randle had played in all 46 of the Knicks’ games this season before Monday, and 95% of the franchise’s games since arriving as a free agent in 2019, according to data from ESPN Stats & Information.

ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk contributed to this report.