Julius Randle’s shoulder issue spurs orthopedician to rip analysts for incorrect diagnosis
New York Knicks All-Star Julius Randle has been out of action since Jan. 29 with a shoulder injury. After an analyst made some remarks on the situation, one sports medicine doctor decided to step in and set the record straight.
Speaking with ESPN's Brian Windhorst on his "The Putback" podcast, Ian Begley cited that some don't like how Randle's injury was handled. He said that some wanted him to get surgery right away, potentially making him available for the playoffs.
"There are some people who felt way back that he should've gone and had surgery," Begley said. "Then maybe he's back at this point or he's back a couple weeks from now at the beginning of the postseason."
As this clips made rounds on social media, one doctor chimed in to provide proper information. He said that labrum surgey has a lenghty recovery process, and Julius Randle wouldn't have been back in time for the playoffs.
Before getting injured, Randle was leading the charge for the Knicks alongside Jalen Brunson. This season, he is averaging 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists.
Knicks shut down Julius Randle for the remainder of the season
Originally, the New York Knicks hoped to get Julius Randle back at some point this year, but that's no longer the case. News emerged Thursday morning that he will receive season-ending surgery on his shoulder. Randle is going to be re-evaluated in five months.
That's a big blow for the Knicks, who made an array of moves this season to contend in the Eastern Conference. First, they acquired OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors. Then, at the deadline, New York bolstered its depth by trading for Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanoivc from the Detroit Pistons.
Even though they've been without Julius Randle for two months, the Knicks have maintaned top spot in the standings. With a handful of games to go, New York sits in fifth place with a 44-31 record. They can still climb the standings, sitting just one game behind the third-place Cleveland Cavaliers.
After looking like a bonafide contender at one point, injuries could derail things for the Knicks. While he hasn't been ruled out yet, Anunoby has missed significant time with an elbow injury. If he isn't able to get right physically, it will drastically impact their chances of competing in the playoffs.
Despite the circumstances, Brunson continues to lead the shorthanded Knicks. He's coming off a month of March where he averaged 28.8 points and 5.8 assists on 48.1% shooting.
Apart from Brunson, multiple Knicks players have made the most of their opportunity to play more amid multipe injuries. Among those to step up include Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo and Miles McBride.