New York Knicks: Amar'e Stoudemire Date Pushed Back, Is He Still Worth the Wait?

Amar'e Stoudemire's original return date was given as two to four weeks after the date of his injury.

However, according to Newsday, this timetable is now from the time he got his epidural shot and not from the original injury date.

Stoudemire reportedly got the shot last Thursday so that would make his earliest return date April 13th and at the very latest, April 27th.

However, I think the April 13th date is absolute best-case scenario for New York and likely won't happen.

So the more realistic date, April 27th, is one day before the start of the playoffs and seems like the perfect time for Stoudemire to return.

Granted, the Knicks badly need their power forward for the stretch run to the playoffs but at the very least Stoudemire can contribute during the second—and more important—NBA season.

So is a rusty Stoudemire useless to this Knicks team?

Duh, no!

If the Knicks go anywhere this year, it's because Stoudemire is in the lineup—and not the opposite.

You're kidding yourself if you think this team is better off without his presence in the paint on both sides of the ball.

New York has been spanked on the boards and down low in general since Stoudemire has been injured. That is a direct result of the size the Knicks are lacking.

At this point, any way the Knicks can get Stoudemire back into the lineup is crucial no matter what shape he's in.

Obviously, the healthier the better, but if New York wants to make a run this season, Stoudemire's presence is vital.