With the commerce deadline looming on Thursday, choices will should be made whether or not to attend for Mitchell Robinson or to doubtlessly swing a deal for an additional massive man.
For the primary time this season, Tom Thibodeau stated Saturday the injured middle is “fairly shut” to being cleared for full contact and to rejoin the Knicks in follow.
Robinson has missed the whole season to this point following ankle surgical procedure final Might, however he had resumed gentle contact in managed circumstances earlier this week.
“The whole lot has gone very easily by way of the rehab. So the subsequent step would be the clearance for normal contact,” Thibodeau stated earlier than the Knicks’ 128-112 loss to the Lakers on Saturday night time on the Backyard. “The managed contact, you understand what’s coming. So you possibly can brace your self for it.
“So when you get out of that, the place you’re simply taking part in and reacting, that would be the subsequent step. He’s fairly shut.”
The 2-year anniversary is approaching on what has turned out to be among the finest trades of the Leon Rose period with the Knicks.
Whereas Josh Hart has entrenched himself as an indispensable multifaceted common with the Knicks, Cam Reddish, who was dealt together with a protected first-round choose to the Path Blazers for him on Feb. 9, 2023, has not been in a position to carve out a major NBA function in his second season with the Lakers.
Reddish has not performed a return recreation at Madison Sq. Backyard since leaving the Knicks, and he was unavailable for Saturday night time’s recreation because of private causes, the Lakers introduced.
The Knicks had despatched a first-round choose to the Hawks to amass Reddish in Jan. 2022, however the former lottery pick of Duke fell out of Thibodeau’s rotation early the subsequent season.
He appeared in 35 video games for the Knicks, averaging 7.4 factors and 18.7 minutes, and he’s scored simply 3.3 factors per recreation this season for Los Angeles.
All-Star middle Anthony Davis (belly pressure) and Christian Wooden additionally have been out for the Lakers.
Former Nets ahead Dorian Finney-Smith (shoulder) and Gabe Vincent (knee) each performed after being initially listed as questionable.
After the sport, Davis was dealt in a three-team commerce for Mavericks celebrity Luka Doncic.
The Lakers despatched Davis, Max Christie and a first-round choose in 2029 to the Mavericks, whereas the Lakers are receiving Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris together with Doncic.
The Jazz additionally obtained Lakers guard Jalen Hood-Schifino and the Clippers’ and Mavericks’ 2025 second-round picks.