Two former Knicks have been sidelined with serious injuries.
Los Angeles Clippers guard Chauncey Billups, whom the Knicks amnestied in order to sign center Tyson Chandler, is done for the season with a torn left Achilles tendon.
And Danilo Gallinari, who was dealt last February in the Carmelo Anthony trade, is out a month with a badly sprained left ankle.
Billups injury occurred during the Clippers’ 107-102 overtime victory over the Orlando Magic on Monday night.
An MRI on Tuesday confirmed the injury, but the 35-year-old Billups said he doesn’t plan on retiring.
“No, sir. There is no way I’m going to crawl out of the league,” Billups said. “I’m going to be back. Trust me.”
Said teammate Chris Paul: “He’s the best guard I’ve ever started with in the backcourt since I’ve been in the NBA,” Paul said. “I trust him with anything, and that’s not just on the court. We need him, no question.”
Former Villanova star Randy Foye will likely take Billups’ place in the starting lineup with Mo Williams, averaging 14.8 points and 3.8 assists, continuing to come off the bench. Foye has started six games while filling in for both Billups and Paul and is averaging 7.2 points and 2.1 assists in 20 minutes per game.
Before his injury, Billups helped recruit his former Nuggets teammate Kenyon Martin to sign with the Clippers. Martin, who considered the Knicks among other options, could make his debut for the Clippers tonight against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Clippers — along with the Knicks, Lakers, Thunder and Bulls — are also in the market to sign former St. Benedict’s swingman J.R. Smith. He is leading the Chinese Basketball Association in scoring (35.4 points per game) and would be eligible to sign with an NBA team once his Zhejiang club finishes its season.
As for Gallinari, he was diagnosed with a chip fracture in his left foot that doctors said may have occurred before he came to the NBA — with the Knicks — in 2008.
“I don’t remember when it happened and if I did something in the past, but that’s what they said. But that’s better,” said Gallinari, who poured in a career-high 37 points last month when Denver beat the Knicks in double-OT. “I was hoping for that because the recovery won’t be as long.”
