Knicks Insider Pinpoints Jalen Brunson's Return

The New York Knicks' captain may soon be ready to leave the infirmary.

SNY Knicks insider Ian Begley offered an update on Brunson's estimated time of re-arrival after the captain-less New Yorkers earned another victory on Tuesday night against Philadelphia. While it's very unlikely that Brunson will partake in Wednesday's visit to Cleveland, Begley hinted that Brunson could return to action during the Knicks' upcoming weekend doubleheader.

"I think it's a longshot for him to play at Cleveland [in] the next game," Begley said. "But then they have a couple of days off, then they go to Atlanta on Saturday, they're home against Phoenix Sunday. I think, based on the trajectory and based on everything that's gone on here, the weekend is a realistic landing spot for Brunson and his return, that Atlanta game, that Phoenix game."

"I think based on the trajectory and everything that's gone on here, the weekend is a realistic landing spot for Brunson and his return - that Atlanta game, that Phoenix game"@IanBegley reports from MSG on Jalen Brunson's return timeline and Mitchell Robinson's big night: pic.twitter.com/emsnaoVf01
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 2, 2025

"I think, if everything continues on pace with his rehab, that's the place where you're looking for Brunson to be back on the court."

The Knicks (48-27) have held their own without Brunson, as well as his fellow backcourt men Miles McBride and Cameron Payne. Brunson has not played since leaving March 4's visit to Los Angeles with an ankle injury but the Knicks have gone 8-5 in that span with McBride, Payne, and Delon Wright stepping in for him in the starting five.

Nonetheless, the Knicks are undoubtedly better contenders with Brunson on the floor and they'd no doubt like to give him a few test runs at the end of the regular season before embarking on this next playoff trip. New York will have six games left after the latest visit to Cleveland, beginning with Saturday's tilt against the Hawks before the Suns visit just over 24 hours later.

In addition to return-to-play conditioning, Brunson also has a personal cause to play for: having partaken in 61 games, he needs to appear in four more to qualify for postseason award consideration, such as the Clutch Player of the Year and the All-NBA teams.

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