Shams: Knicks' OG Anunoby More Likely Than Randle to Return from Injury This Season

New York Knicks guard Josh Hart said the team is operating as if OG Anunoby and Julius Randle will not return from injuries this season, and it appears he wasn't just being pessimistic.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Anunoby is more likely than Randle to return, but the status for both star forwards remains up in the air.

Anunoby has been out of the lineup since March 16 with an elbow injury. He originally underwent surgery in February and briefly returned for three games before being put back on the shelf.

Randle has not played since suffering a shoulder dislocation in a Jan. 27 win over the Miami Heat. The All-Star forward is yet to be cleared for full contact.

Center Mitchell Robinson has also played just two games since Dec. 8 amid continued ankle problems.

"I'm looking at it like this is the team we're going to have," Hart told reporters Sunday. "I think that's how we have to approach it, that those guys aren't coming back and obviously we'll be pleasantly surprised if they come back.

"I'm not in those medical conversations or anything like that, so I don't know s--t from s--t. But we've got to approach every game and the end of this season that those guys aren't coming back, and if they do, be pleasantly surprised."

The Knicks have managed to remain in the hunt for a top-two seed in the East despite the rash of injuries. They're 44-30 and currently the No. 4 seed, sitting three games behind the second-seeded Milwaukee Bucks.

If Randle, Anunoby and Robinson can't come back at full health by the playoffs, it'll be nearly impossible for New York to make a deep run.