The need for 6-foot-10 forward/center Jeremy Tyler to rejoin the Knicks in December has grown mightily given the uncertain status of center Tyson Chandler.
Knicks coach Mike Woodson confirmed the injured Tyler “could be a wearing a Knick uniform’’ after he gets his feet wet in the D-League with the team’s Erie affiliate — and that was before Chandler’s knee injury.
“I think we got to keep an eye on him,’’ Woodson said. “He was a good prospect for us in the summer league. That’s why we were high on him getting to vet camp. Then unfortunately he had the foot problem. I think that we rehab him and keep close tabs on him, just to see how he develops. If he comes along nicely, who knows, he could be wearing a Knick uniform. We just got to wait the course.’’
Erie obtained Tyler’s D-League rights Monday from Santa Cruz, allowing the Knicks to rehab him at their Tarrytown facility.
Tyler was released in late October to make room for J.R. Smith’s brother, Chris, who is expected to play for Erie.
However, The Post reported Monday the Knicks want to re-sign Tyler once he gets healthy. Either Smith or center Cole Aldrich, who has yet to get in a game, would have to be waived to make room. If Chandler’s injury is serious, Smith is the likely candidate to get bumped as he can still play for Erie as a free agent.
Tyler may be about a month away from playing in a D-League contest. He’s not allowed to rehab on the court during Knicks practices. Smith has already earned the $491,000 guaranteed him for making the team whether he remains on the 15-man roster or not.
The Knicks are desperate for big-man depth with Amar’e Stoudemire and Kenyon Martin considered injury risks.
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Knicks owner James Dolan is rightfully disgusted with the Knicks poor start but a report stating he is looking to reduce the role of the Knicks City Dancers is erroneous, according to a Garden source.
The source said they aren’t on the floor as much because there’s a movement to upgrade the routines by the popular Knicks City Dancers to make them less like “regular cheerleaders.”
“We’re in the process of a rebranding of the Knicks City Dancers,” the Garden source said. “We’re looking at making them bigger and better so they’re not just regular cheerleaders.”
The source said the dancers are rehearsing new routines that are more “classy.”