It’s been a rough couple of seasons for Jarrett Jack. The veteran point guard suffered a torn ACL in the 2015-16 season with the Brooklyn Nets. He was then limited to just two appearances for the New Orleans Pelicans last season and needed to undergo yet another knee surgery.

Jack is currently playing in the preseason with the New York Knicks with the hope of getting a roster spot for the season. According to NorthJersey.com’s Steve Popper, the 34-year-old felt the struggle of having to come back in order to get another chance to prove himself with the Knicks.

“It was tough, man, but it was just another challenge presented to me,” Jack said. “I felt I could meet the challenge of it and pretty much they want to see if I can hold up physically, if my knee is back to stable condition and is able to withstand the rigors of the season.

“I understood that’s what it was. So I did my best to use rehab and those things. Those are my games, those are my practices, and tried to get my legs back to – I don’t know, some people come back stronger than they were before. I also said the one drawback is you can’t do as much conditioning as you would like to. That’s why I’m trying to find that balance and hopefully I can make that transition.”

New York already has 15 guaranteed contracts on the books for next season, though, and despite the Knicks’ shaky point guard situation with rookie Frank Ntilikina, second-year Ron Baker, and veteran Ramon Sessions, there doesn’t appear to be a place for Jack on the roster.

But if the Knicks do retain Jarrett Jack, he appears ready to do whatever is asked of him. That includes embracing the role of veteran mentor, which is something that could prove useful to a young, rebuilding team like the Knicks.