NEW YORK -- Amar'e Stoudemire is scheduled to have a right knee debridement this coming week and is expected to miss approximately six weeks, the New York Knicks announced Saturday.
"It's a major loss to what we're trying to do," coach Mike Woodson said.
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A debridement is a form of arthroscopic surgery that removes debris.
Stoudemire did not participate in Saturday's shootaround because of soreness in both of his knees. An MRI later Saturday revealed that surgery was required.
Per the six-week timetable, Stoudemire is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season. If he is off the floor for the full six weeks, the earliest Stoudemire would return is April 20, three days after the final game of the regular season.
Stoudemire has had a history of knee ailments. He missed the first two months of the season while recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. The procedure was described as a debridement, the same procedure Stoudemire will undergo on his right knee. The timetable for Stoudemire to return from the surgery earlier this season was 6-8 weeks and he needed the full eight weeks to return to the court.
He underwent microfracture surgery in October 2005, but bounced back well from the procedure.
Still, the procedure can be a red flag for teams. Stoudemire's contract with the Knicks -- a five-year, $100 million pact -- is uninsured because of his history of knee issues.
Stoudemire had been playing on a 30-minute restriction to preserve the health of his knees this season.
Stoudemire's injury isn't the only health concern for the Knicks. Carmelo Anthony also missed his third straight game on Saturday with a lingering right knee injury.
"We have to just go out there and find ways to win," small forward Steve Novak said of being without both stars. "Obviously those are our main two throw-it-to-and-then-create-their-own-shot scorers for us, so I think our approach just has to be a little bit different."
An extended stretch without Stoudemire means more playing time for the recently acquired Kenyon Martin who showed some remorse for Stoudemire.
"It's part of sports, we all know that, so we've got to come together as a team," Martin said. "That's why I'm here, so I'm looking forward to the opportunity to get some more playing time. It's a very, very unfortunate situation."
Ian Begley is a frequent contributor to ESPNNewYork.com. ESPNNewYork.com contributor Jared Zwerling contributed to this report.

They haven't announced any other bad news about Melo have they? At least we have our own pick this year.

StarksEwing1 wrote:

AnubisADL wrote:

TeamBall wrote:

AnubisADL wrote:Knicks need to cut Wallace and Thomas and get us some help ASAP.

Whos out there to sign that would fill the holes in the team?

Delonte West
McGrady

can i have what you are smoking

We need bodies, plain and simple. Running Melo into the ground would be bad news for us.

Not many other vets available.

Knicksfan wrote:

smackeddog wrote:Hmm Steve Popper tweeting he thinks the Knicks are lying- said swelling in the knee is not what debridement is for (its for cartridge/bone).

Am I just the one getting tired of this mystery surrounding our medical staff?

Its not that, its the idiot who owns the team is not coherent enough to understand these things or listen to reason.

how do I know this? The result.

BRIGGS wrote:This team is done. Done. the y shouldve stayed to amare 24 minutes but still this was likely going to happen. Im willing to trade Carmelo and Tyson for the right price in the offseason.

Now we're talkin

Amare's knee problems have to be genetic. Dude has the worse luck!

No way he's back in 6 weeks and when he does the knicks and Melo will have to change the way they play again in limited time before the playoffs

No shot at a ring now

3G4G wrote:So let me get this straight when he had the original Baker's Cyst diagnosis and he consulted the doctor who performed the micro-fracture on his knee yrs ago... to the point he got x-rays determining he needed a debridement procedure.... how is it they didn't x-ray and/or exam his other and discern how bad that knee was...

Nevertheless...

“They couldn’t go back to their fans and say, ‘Hey we re-signed David Lee.’ Lee’s a good player, very underrated player. And arguably, for the five years, you’d rather have him over Amar’e based on his health. But if you’re the Knicks, your fans have suffered for two years, you need to sell season tickets, sponsorships, you have to hang your hat on somebody and Amar’e was the best available guy for them.”

“There is a shelf-life with microfracture surgery,” Kerr said. “Amar’e is now five years removed and there’s a lot of wear-and-tear — he’s played big minutes. We looked at the league the last six, seven years and we were very afraid of a Jermaine O’Neal situation, where the Pacers just got hamstrung by a long contract. ... In our situation in Phoenix it didn’t make sense to extend out for five years, but the Knicks situation I understand the gamble and the risk and I think they made a good move.”

“From Amare’s standpoint it was very important for him to get that guaranteed money because he’s more aware of his health than anybody,” Kerr said.

The big question about Amar’e — and with our situation Phoenix last year — was will the knee holdup? Short term, at least, he’s an All-Star.”

Kerr was SPOT ON about why they were scared to offer Amar'e $100mil guaranteed based on information they received from medical professionals. He was DEAD WRONG about the move having to be made by us.

Now ask yourself who has better doctors in the NBA? Knicks or Pheonix?

Nalod wrote:Layden, Isiah, walsh, grunny..........Its all the same.

Make a big splash and the Mecca loves it.

Find a savior and the "sophisticates" will bow down!