Carmelo Anthony said he hopes Iman Shumpert is part of the future, not a trade piece in the present.
Following Shumpert’s ill-timed foul near the end of regulation in the Knicks’ 103-96 overtime loss to the Pacers at the Garden Wednesday, Anthony was asked if he wants Shumpert here.
“I think he is [part of the future],’’ Anthony said. “I hope so. We have a lot of expectations with Iman, especially the way he played tonight. That’s the Iman we need him to be [defensively]. He could take it in a good way. I hope he doesn’t think about it.’’
The Knicks’ talks with other teams about Shumpert may not lead to anything until after the traditional Dec. 15 deadline when last summer’s free agents and first-round picks can be traded. Any Shumpert trade probably would need to be on a large scale. The Knicks can’t deal Beno Udrih, Tim Hardaway Jr., Metta World Peace until Dec. 15. One person familiar with the situation said the talks were “exploratory.’’
Jeremy Tyler, cut after training camp, still is rehabbing at the Knicks’ practice facility from stress-fracture foot surgery and could make his D-League debut for Erie in two weeks. The Knicks hope to re-sign him after he plays a few games.
World Peace, while lauding his deceased sister, praised the Knicks front office for showing up to Shalice Holmes-Taylor’s funeral on Sunday.
World Peace also said it has been a distraction as he found out she was dying of cancer the day before training camp. But he missed the last two games after getting his knee drained twice in recent weeks.
World Peace, who returned to the lineup for the Knicks, got his knee drained of fluid after the San Antonio game but played the next contest in Atlanta. The knee swelled again and he had it drained after the Atlanta rematch Saturday. This time he decided to rest two games while attending his sister’s funeral.
World Peace, who scored two points in 16 minutes, said the MRI exams showed he still has “great cartilage’’ but the swelling occurs because he came back too soon from arthroscopic knee surgery last season. The timetable last season was six weeks and he returned in seven days — drawing massive praise from Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni.
World Peace said he came back too soon because he was afraid the Lakers were going to miss the playoffs.
“I risk my career and we lost in five games in the first round,’’ World Peace said.
As The Post reported, Knicks president Steve Mills and assistant general manager Allan Houston and other staffers attended the funeral.
“I didn’t expect it,” World Pace said. “It shows what kind of organization they are. It was impressive.’’
His sister left behind eight kids.
“I don’t want to see any family go through it — she put up a good fight,’’ World Peace said. “It was inspirational the fight she put up. I found out a couple of days before training camp she wasn’t going to make it.’’
It was an eventful return for World Peace. He was seen shoving Tim Hardaway Jr. during a timeout huddle with an assistant coach cutting between them.
Though Amar’e Stoudemire said after the Detroit game James Dolan’s medical staff had cleared Stoudemire for up to 25 minutes per game but no back-to-backs, Woodson said it’s premature.
Stoudemire sat out Wednesday’s game, and Woodson said he can’t yet get to 20 minutes.