Iman Shumpert is recovering quickly from the ACL injury and an early return to the side seems to be a strong possibility …
Iman Shumpert suffered a heart breaking ACL injury in the first round of the playoffs against the Miami Heat last season. As a rookie and a good one at that, it was tough for Shumpert to go down injured with
one of the worst injuries a player can imagine.
A defensive minded player, Shumpert relied mainly on his athleticism last season and had it not been for him, the Knicks would have been even worse on the defense than they eventually turned out to be. There
have been many speculative dates regarding his return so far and according to a recent report by the New York Times, Shumpert may possibly be returning somewhere around Christmas.
“All signs Saturday suggested that Shumpert’s rehabilitation this off-season has gone well. He will still miss the start of the regular season, but it appears Shumpert could possibly return in December if his
recovery is ahead of schedule.”
The Knicks can certainly use Shumpert in the back court, but there is no point rushing him back as it only increases the risk of getting injured in the future. In order for him to make a successful return, Shumpert
needs to take his time and get back to 100 %, even if he has to wait until January or even early February. This still gives the Knicks enough time to gear up for the playoffs with him tuned into the line-up.
Secondly the Knicks have their bases covered at the shooting guard position. J.R. Smith proved last season that he can be explosive on his day and ex-Bull Ronnie Brewer is more than a capable role player. It
is a strong possibility that Smith will start for the Knicks at the start of the season, and once Shumpert hits the court, he along with Brewer can slip into more of a bench role.
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