Carmelo and Derrick Rose on center stage in Knicks’ trade drama: There is one saving grace in all the drama leading up to the NBA trading deadline for the Knicks. It ends Thursday. And if coach Jeff Hornacek proves to be a prophet, the Knicks' roster will stay the same. Hornacek doubled down Tuesday on his pre-All-Star break contention the Knicks would not make a deal. -- New York Post

Joakim Noah takes step back in recovery from hamstring injury: So the Knicks came roaring back from the All-Star break all set for a practice that would propel them toward greatness and glory in the second half. Only the starting center, Joakim Noah, didn’t practice, still bothered by a bum hamstring. The starting shooting guard, Courtney Lee, was sick as a dog and not back from the break. The leading scorer, Carmelo Anthony, was excused by league rules because of his Sunday All-Star participation. -- New York Post

Why the Knicks’ playoff hopes are better than you think: The optimist will look at the list of remaining NBA games and say, “Oh, wow, the Knicks are entering the easy part of their schedule.” The cynic will look at the same list, see an opponent about to face the Knicks and think that same rival is entering the easy part of its schedule. -- New York Post

Phil Jackson gets dumped again as Jeanie Buss ends any possibility of a Lakers return with Magic Johnson hiring: First, Phil Jackson lost the girl and then the job. The decision by Jeanie Buss on Tuesday to detonate the Lakers front office and install Magic Johnson as the president of basketball operations should end years of speculation that Jackson would one day return to Los Angeles as the celebrity savior of the once proud franchise. Sound familiar? -- New York Daily News

Knicks’ Derrick Rose says he’ll be ‘prepared’ if he’s traded to Timberwolves: After his All-Star appearance this past weekend in New Orleans, Carmelo Anthony was excused from Knicks practice Tuesday night when the team returned from the break. But the trade discussions didn't stop. This time, it was Derrick Rose's turn to address the rumor mill. ESPN reported late Monday that multiple teams have reached out to the Knicks about a possible Rose deal, including the Tom Thibodeau-led Minnesota Timberwolves. Thibodeau coached Rose in Chicago for six seasons. -- New York Daily News

Joakim Noah's injury woes continue with hamstring pull: The Knicks signed Joakim Noah to a massive contract this past offseason despite his lengthy injury history. To the shock of absolutely no one, Noah has struggled to stay on the court this year. And his latest setback -- a hamstring pull -- isn't going away. Noah, who’s missed five straight games, tweaked his hamstring in a practice before the All-Star break, Jeff Hornacek said. -- New York Daily News

Knicks' Derrick Rose remains stoic in face of trade rumors: Derrick Rose used the edge of his jersey to wipe the sweat from his forehead after practice Tuesday. He was equally as practical and matter of fact when it came to dealing with questions about reports that the Knicks are talking about trading him to the Timberwolves. “I hadn’t heard anything about it until I came back here,” Rose said after his first practice since the All-Star break. -- Newsday

Popper: Knicks are broken; Here's how to fix them: James Dolan has had nearly two decades to get things right as he has seen the Knicks stumble under his stewardship. Phil Jackson’s tenure as president has been marked by missteps, to put it mildly, from his roster moves to his social media gaffes. Can’t anyone make the Knicks great again? I’m going to try. -- The Record