Knicks Rumors: Julius Randle's Shoulder Injury Rehab Has NY 'Optimistic' About Return

New York Knicks All-Star forward Julius Randle is reportedly making strides in his recovery from a separated shoulder suffered last month.

Speaking on The Putback with Ian Begley, SNY's Ian Begley noted that there is optimism within the Knicks organization regarding Randle returning this season:

"I've heard during this period that there's been some positive progression here during the rehab and I think that's left people with even more reason to be optimistic that Randle will be back at some point this season. I don't know if they're out of the woods yet, but certainly the progress that he has made over the last couple of weeks during this rehab stretch has left people excited about the possibility of him coming back."

Randle has missed the Knicks' last nine games and will miss this weekend's All-Star Game. He is still without a firm timetable for his return, but after getting injured on Jan. 27, the Knicks announced he would be re-evaluated in two to three weeks.

Begley added that the Knicks are planning to see "where he can go and what he can do after two-to-three weeks of rehab" before making a determination regarding when or if he will be able to return.

Given his progress thus far, Begley said season-ending surgery seems "unlikely" for Randle, but nothing is being ruled out yet.

The 29-year-old Randle has been named an All-Star in three of the past four seasons, and he is in the midst of another highly productive campaign with averages of 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists, while shooting 47.2 percent from the field and 31.1 percent from beyond the arc.

Randle and guard Jalen Brunson have played like a superstar duo this season, helping New York to a 33-22 record, which is good for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

After the Knicks acquired wing OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors to play alongside Randle and Brunson, the Knicks went on a tear. At one point, they won nine games in a row and 15 of 17, making them the hottest team in the NBA.

However, with Randle out and Anunoby also on the shelf after getting bone fragments removed from his elbow, the Knicks have now lost four in a row and five of their past six.

When the Knicks are fully healthy and can employ a rotation that includes Randle, Brunson, Anunoby, Donte DiVincenzo, Alec Burks, Bojan Bogdanović, Josh Hart and Isaiah Hartenstein among others, they are as deep and talented as any team in the league.

Being without two of their three best players has proved trying, though, and it has dropped them four games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for the No. 2 seed in the East, and 10 games behind the top-seeded Boston Celtics.

The Knicks reached the second round of the playoffs last season, but they have their sights set on an even deeper run this season.

If the Knicks get Randle and Anunoby back healthy, they have a legitimate chance to reach the Eastern Conference Finals or perhaps even the NBA Finals, but it is difficult to envision them making it that far if Randle doesn't return or play at his usual high level when he does.