NBA

‘His knee could’ve blown out’: Cleanthony Early eyes miracle March return

Though Knicks small forward Cleanthony Early is considered lucky, he is not expected to return to action until after the All-Star break, sometime in March, according to a friend.

Early suffered a gunshot wound to his right knee Dec. 30 after being robbed near a Queens strip club at 4:15 a.m. after celebrating his girlfriend’s birthday. Early is expected to begin some sort of rehab very shortly.

“He’s feeling better and he’s going to be fine,’’ a friend told The Post. “It was the best possible outcome, and it’s not going to have any effect on his career. There was no structural damage and no infection, so he didn’t need surgery. That was the beautiful thing, not needing surgery. Thank God — his knee could’ve been blown out.’’

Neither Knicks general manager Steve Mills nor president Phil Jackson have commented on the Early incident.

Nevertheless, according to a source, Early’s March timetable is why the Knicks are expected to add a depth piece to a 10-day contract soon and are “exploring several options,’’ including monitoring the players waived from teams at the Jan. 10 deadline for guaranteed contracts.

Though point guard is a priority, the Knicks have just 13 able bodies, having left open a spot on the 15-man roster after training camp.

The Knicks have considered signing a D-League player with the league’s showcase ending Saturday in Santa Cruz, Calif. Sharpshooting guard Jimmer Fredette, lighting it up for Westchester in the D-League, was a candidate, but coach Derek Fisher prefers a better defensive player.