Player Notes

Anthony underwent an MRI that revealed he's been suffering from a small left shoulder tear that may require surgery, the New York Daily News reports.
Recommendation: Anthony first aggravated the shoulder injury near the tail end of the Knicks' first-round series against the Celtics, which may explain his relatively wretched string of shooting performances during the Round 2 series loss to the Pacers. In any case, if such a procedure is required, it wouldn't seem likely to jeopardize Anthony's chances of being ready to play for the regular season.

Hansbrough scored 10 points with six rebounds and one steal in 12 minutes Wednesday night in Indiana's overtime loss to Miami in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Recommendation: Hansbrough was needed for some early minutes and gave the Pacers a boost when David West picked up three fouls in the first half.

Beal (leg) is weeks away from commencing basketball activities, CSN Washington reports.
Recommendation: Beal has passed his six week period devoid of any basketball activities but intends to have another X-ray performed on the stress fracture in his left tibia in a few weeks. If it has healed, he will then begin his rehab, which will include lifting weights and basketball activities. Despite enduring numerous injuries during his rookie season, he only missed 26 contests, an impressive number considering the severity of some of them. At the moment, he is being prudent with the concern that held him out for the final eight games of the regular season, which should give him plenty of time to be ready for the Las Vegas Summer League in July.

Parker will have a precautionary MRI on his left calf Thursday, the San Antonio Express-News reports.
Recommendation: The examination is nothing to worry about, as the Spurs' medical staff is monitoring the progress of Parker's recovery from the ailment. In the five outings since the injury arose, he has averaged 18 points (on 39.8 percent shooting), 9.6 assists, three rebounds, and 1.6 steals in 37.2 minutes. If the injury is affecting him, he is not showing it in any discernible fashion.

Wade (knee) will in fact take the court for Wednesday's Game 1 against Indiana, the Associated Press reports.
Recommendation: After missing the clinching game of the first round versus Milwaukee, Wade has gutted out the past five games, even logging 37 minutes in the Game 5 victory over Chicago. The bone bruises in his right knee could rear their ugly head again during Miami's playoff run, but for now, he is good to go for the Eastern Conference Finals.

Kanter's recovery from April's surgery to repair a dislocated left shoulder is going well, but he may not receive clearance to take the court until August, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.
Recommendation: Thus, Kanter will definitely miss the Orlando Summer League, which takes place from July 7-12. However, he was unlikely to have participated, even if fully healthy, according to his agent. The impending free agency of both Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap could result in Kanter earning a starting gig with the Jazz, but the offseason will have to hash itself out before that is determined.

Howard noted that his back and shoulder feel better since he has been resting them.
Recommendation: Howard will have all summer to rest his various injuries. He was able to play through a torn labrum this season. In addition to the labrum tear, he also has an injured back. It is likely that he will spend time resting to allow for these injuries to heal. This is certainly much better than going in for surgery.

Andersen scored 16 points on 7-of-7 shooting with five rebounds and three blocked shots in 18 minutes Wednesday night in Miami's overtime win over Indiana in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Recommendation: The Birdman brought a lot of hustle and defense to the game, but also had some key buckets in what was his playoff high in minutes and points.

Villanueva picked up his $8.5-million contract option with the Pistons for the 2013-14 season, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Recommendation: Villanueva has long stated his plans to opt in to the final year of his contract, so this news comes as little surprise. Despite this news, there's no guarantee Villanueva will suit up for the Pistons next season, as the team will likely explore trade options or could opt to use the amnesty clause to waive the veteran forward.

White is unlikely to return with New York next season, ESPN New York reports.
Recommendation: White's agent, William McCandless, noted that White values his playing time, which was certainly lacking in New York. He started 16 games and averaged only 7.6 minutes and 2.2 points per game. White has a team option next season for about $1 million. The Knicks will have to reach a decision on what to do with him by June 30. If they do not choose to accept the team option, he will become an unrestricted free agent. If White is looking to make the most money, he may have to return to his previous career path and play for an international team. McCandless noted that there has been plenty of interest by international teams already and that White would not hesitate to go to these teams.

George scored a team-high 27 points (7-of-16 FG, 3-of-6 3Pt, 10-of-11 FT) with four rebounds, five assists and six turnovers in 47 minutes Wednesday night in Indiana's overtime loss to Miami in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Recommendation: George had just two points at halftime, but got engaged offensively in the second half and hit a last-second three-pointer to send the game into overtime. In addition to his work offensively, George was tasked defensively with guarding LeBron James.

Prigioni noted that he would like to stay in the NBA next season, but his future with the Knicks is unclear at this point, the New York Post reports.
Recommendation: For Prigioni to return with the Knicks, the team would have to match an offer from another team, considering he is a restricted free agent. It is unclear whether or not the Knicks will do this. He averaged 3.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists during his rookie season.

Williams has yet to be charged in the firearm incident he's been implicated in due to the prosecutors needing extra time to complete their investigation, Mass Live reports.
Recommendation: Williams has admitted to police that he pulled his gun but says he did so out of fear for his well-being. The Celtics gave Williams a multi-year contract this season, but there are several qualifiers that would allow them to cut him without paying the entirety of the contract as all of it is not guaranteed. The Celtics don't appear in any rush to make a decision regarding Williams' future on their roster, but if this issue with the police turns into a distraction, he'll likely be released.

West (calf) played 41 minutes Wednesday night in Indiana's overtime loss to Miami in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Recommendation: West had missed some practice time leading up to the series with a strained calf, but was ready to go Wednesday. The only thing that slowed him down was foul trouble, but he managed to score 26 points with five rebounds in the loss.