Derrick Rose returned to the Knicks on Tuesday and confirmed that he went home to Chicago on Monday night for a family issue.
Rose was seen at the team's training facility in Greenburgh, N.Y. He was fined and is expected to be in uniform Wednesday night against the 76ers, the team said in a statement.
Rose told reporters after practice that he needed to be home with his mother. He said the absence had nothing to do with basketball, denied any rift with head coach Jeff Hornacek and apologized to teammates and the organization.
Rose said he spoke to GM Steve Mills on Monday night and met with team president Phil Jackson and Mills when he got to practice on Tuesday.
Rose said he didn't want to pick up the phone when the Knicks called and said he needed his "space." Once he explained his situation, he said, the team understood why he left.
Hornacek said Rose will play on Wednesday in Philadelphia if he is in the right mental state.
Rose was at Monday's morning shootaround and was expected to make his 34th start of the season, but the team announced shortly before Monday night's game that he was not with the team.
The team did not comment publicly on Rose's absence at game time, but center Joakim Noah told reporters after the game that he had heard from Rose and that he was OK.
Hornacek would not answer a direct question about whether he had spoken with Rose. He then said: "Everything will become clear later on. We want to respect what he's going through."
