Derrick Rose could miss Knicks’ four-game trip, which begins the post-All-Star break program, due to undisclosed COVID-19 issues.
Rose, who missed the last two games after an inconclusive test in San Antonio on March 2, was not with the Milwaukee team for Wednesday’s practice. He was ruled out for Thursday’s game against the Bucks.
The Knicks will not say whether Rose tested positive after the inconclusive test, but Thursday will be the 9th day of the San Antonio test. Knicks announced that he has left for security protocols.
According to a source, the league requires a player to go out for 10 days, then two more days for training.
“To be honest, I can’t answer that because I don’t know,” Thibodeau said when asked if he would join the club during the trip. “I follow what Dr. [Lisa] Callahan and what the league says. Once he is released, he will be available. When we’re updated, we’ll update you guys. You’ve seen throughout the league how he handled it. We know it is serious, it is with COVID and we want to take all the safety measures we can. ”
The league announced on Wednesday that two unidentified players have given positive results since March 3. Rose is supposed to take a new test on March 3 and needed a negative test to be eliminated for the March 4 game against the Pistons.
Elfrid Payton will remain the starting guard, but Rose’s absence means that Frank Ntilikina will continue to rotate.
“I like depth,” Thibodeau said.
The Mitchell Robinson center (broken hand) was reevaluated, but Thibodeau did not seem ready to return very soon.
“There is no set schedule yet,” Thibodeau said. “It simply came to our notice then. We’re probably a short distance away. But conditioning, he was very diligent in making extra efforts. So its conditioning is pretty good. The basketball part, he didn’t manage to clap or anything. But he handles the ball with his left hand and runs a lot. We just have to be patient and let it work. ”
The Taj Gibson reserve center was moved to the playoffs on Thursday and returned to training sessions.
Immanuel Quickley did not make the honorary list of Rising Stars due to the format that completes a world team with international players.
“At the end of the year or at the end of my career, whatever happens, everything will work out and I will get what I deserve in the end,” Quickley said. “I certainly feel that I could have been selected. Use it only as a motivating factor. ”
Austin Rivers did not join the Milwaukee team because of the birth of his son.
Quickley thought his rookie teammate Obi Toppin should have won the Dunk contest.
“Obi was definitely stuck,” Quickley said. “She did crazy things. He should have won. ”