Knicks lose Derrick Rose for at least 8 weeks after ankle surgery

The New York Knicks had already lost several players due to COVID-19 health protocols over the past two weeks, but veteran point guard DerrickRose was dealing with something very different.

Rose has missed the past few games with a sore right ankle, which previously wasn’t thought to be anything significant. However, after trying to fight through the pain over the past few weeks, Rose underwent surgery on his right ankle Wednesday afternoon at the Hospital for Special Surgery.

Rose will be out for at least eight weeks before being re-evaluated. He could miss upward of 2–3 months after having to rehabilitate and work his way back into playing form. The loss of Rose will undoubtedly put the Knicks in a tough spot, likely utilizing Kemba Walker more frequently after being exiled to the bench on November 26 by head coach Tom Thibodeau for his lackluster defense.

Rose was proving to be a valuable asset off the bench this season, averaging 12 points, 4.0 assists, shooting 44.5% from the field, and 40.2% from three-point range. At 33 years old, Rose signed a three-year, $43.5 million deal with an out after the second season.

Moving forward, we can expect to see plenty more of Immanuel Quickley, Alec Burks, and especially Miles McBride featuring at the point guard position. After McBride posted two consecutive stellar performances with Covid ravaging the guard position, this will likely inject him into a more prominent role once he returns from Covid protocols. He scored 15 points in his most recent outing against the Houston Rockets, not to mention nine assists.

In Rose’s case, he will target March as a return date, just in time for a hopeful postseason run by the Knicks. However, New York has plenty of work left to do to get back into favor for a postseason spot, as they currently rank 12th in the Eastern Conference, two spots out of a play-in slot.