Miles McBride still has no timeline for his Knicks return as ‘slow process’ after surgery drags on

MILWAUKEE — Miles McBride is in the “slow process” of returning from his sports hernia surgery, a recovery that started three weeks ago and is continuing with no date set for a return.

“It’s going to be a process coming back,” McBride said Friday, speaking for the first time since the surprising diagnosis derailed his encouraging campaign. “I’m feeling the love from the whole organization. They want me back but they want me back right. So that’s the main thing.”

Asked if he’ll be back during the regular season — which ends in six weeks — McBride was non-committal.

“That’s always the goal, for sure,” he said. “But right now there’s no exact timeline.”

McBride was having a breakout shooting season before he underwent tests last month on his lingering ankle soreness “and other ailments that were kind of bothering me,” he said.

During those tests, a sports hernia was uncovered and determined severe enough for surgery.

The procedure was Feb. 6 and a source confirmed a 6-8 week recovery at the time, which opens the possibility of McBride returning before the playoffs.

However, there are often other factors involved in returning to real games beyond healing — such as conditioning and measuring his response to contact and the dreaded “ramp-up” period that has become part of the NBA vocabulary.

Three weeks out of surgery, McBride’s work is minimal.

There’s no contact.

“It’s really a slow process,” he said. “So I’m starting to do some form shooting (shooting without jumping). And I’m starting to do a few strengthening exercises for the area I was injured.”

Still, McBride decided to travel with the team to rehab rather than stay back at the practice facility in Tarrytown. He said he likes the company.

“I just wanted to be with the guys,” McBride said. “A lot of the time you can be in an isolation mindset being alone. So I feel like being around the guys, and them uplifting me, and me being able to see things from the sideline and do what I do for them. Help them out in any way I can.”

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The Knicks entered Friday’s game against the Bucks with a 9-4 record during McBride’s latest absence.

They’ve eased the transition by acquiring Jose Alvarado, a backup point guard, at the trade deadline.

Landry Shamet’s two-way surge has also helped.

Still, McBride offers something different than other backcourt reserves.

His 3-point shot, which McBride has converted this season at a career-best 42 percent clip, can be launched off the dribble or with less space because of its high elevation.

He’s a pesky on-ball defender — the same as Alvarado — but bigger than Alvarado and more athletic than Shamet.

For much of this season, McBride was the Knicks’ best bench player while averaging 12.9 points.

But he’s only played 35 games and risks losing rhythm if he’s back when the intensity and pressure is elevated in the playoffs.

For now, though, a McBride-Alvarado backcourt pairing is just a fun concept.

“I’ve always prided myself on being a spark, being an energy guy,” McBride said. “Just to have another guy to go out there and battle with is going to be amazing.”

Added Alvarado, “I’ll be in a better rhythm when he comes back so hopefully when we get together, we make some noise.”