Jonquel Jones Liberty return timeline emerging after ankle injury

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA.A timeline is beginning to emerge for Jonquel Jones.The Liberty center aggravated a right ankle injury in Thursday night’s loss to the Mercury.Jones stayed back in New York on Friday to undergo further imaging and examination on her ankle, a team source told The Post’s Madeline Kenney, as the Liberty departed for a 10-day road trip.The team is “optimistic” Jones will join them during the trip and could meet them potentially as soon as Saturday for a practice in Seattle.The Liberty’s next game is Sunday night against the Storm. Jones went down early in the second quarter Thursday after appearing to turn her ankle landing on the foot of Phoenix’s Sami Whitcomb.Jones walked off the count under her own power — she didn’t even attempt to shoot her free throws — and was seen leaving Barclays Center in a walking boot. The Liberty’s Kennedy Burke said Jones seemed in good spirits after the game.“She’s fine,” Burke said.

“She always has a good attitude when something happens.”Jones initially was injured during a June 5 victory over the Mystics.She missed the following two games.The Liberty are 10-2, good for second place in the WNBA.Both losses — in what’s likely not a coincidence — have come in games in which Jones was mostly or completely unavailable.The 31-year-old is averaging 12.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game....