Is Jalen Brunson playing tonight against the Washington Wizards? Latest on New York Knicks star's availability (Mar. 22)

This season, Jalen Brunson is once again the heart and soul of the New York Knicks. The two-time All-Star, however, has been out of action since March 6 when he injured his ankle in an overtime loss to the LA Lakers.

Up next on the Knicks' calendar is a Saturday showdown against the Washington Wizards. According to an Associated Press report, Brunson will continue to be out for this home game as he recuperates from his right ankle sprain.

NBA: New York Knicks at Los Angeles Lakers - Source: Imagn

This will be the eighth straight game to be missed by Brunson, who had put together a 39-point, 10-assist performance before leaving late in the overtime period of the Knicks' 113-109 defeat at the hands of the Lakers. Since Brunson started missing games in the wake of this injury, the Knicks have gone 3-4.

Earlier this week, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau gave an update on Brunson's recovery:

"The only thing I'd say is he's doing light shooting and he's out of the boot. So steady progress. We'll see," Thibodeau said. "Whenever he's ready, he's ready."

Thibodeau added that Brunson has been "putting a lot into his rehab" and that he hopes the Knicks guard will be able to get back into rhythm before the 2025 playoffs begin.

With just a few weeks to go before the start of the postseason, the Knicks remain entrenched in the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference standings. The team, then, has some leeway in terms of facilitating Brunson's recovery and return.

Analyst: Jalen Brunson will not be ready "until the summer time"

While Thibodeau sounded optimistic in his update on Brunson's status, a TV analyst speculated the recovery of the Knicks guard will take longer and thus have dire implications for his team.

On Tuesday's episode of ESPN's "NBA Today," Udonis Haslem made his projections regarding Brunson's injury and the Knicks' postseason fate:

"Jalen Brunson, coming in or not, that ankle is not going to be ready until the summer time," Haslem said. "I’m looking at Detroit. I'm saying, this could be a first-round exit for New York."

Whether Haslem's prediction ends up coming to fruition or not, there's no denying that the playoff hopes of the Knicks will hinge on the quality of Brunson's availability and performance.