According to the Knicks' official PR Twitter account, Amare Stoudemire will have a knee debridement on his right knee and is projected to be out for six weeks following the procedure. This past summer, the 6'11 big man had the same operation done after a popliteal cyst had ruptured in his left knee, causing him to miss the first 30 games of the season. Ian Begley of ESPN New York (via Twitter) hears that coach Mike Woodson will consult with team brass about Rasheed Wallace's roster spot and the possibility of finding a healthy replacement for Stoudemire.
Wallace, who underwent surgery for a broken left foot near the end of February, faced an eight week recovery but was kept on the roster in hope that he would be ready for a potential return in the playoffs. While the Knicks recently brought Kenyon Martin on board, the only other true big men currently healthy on the team are Tyson Chandler, Marcus Camby, and Kurt Thomas. Camby had been inactive for nearly two months after suffering a strained left plantar fascia in January, and despite returning to the active list, has only played a total of 13 minutes in the last three contests.
With 23 games left and the task of getting the team as healthy as it can before the start of the playoffs, New York would be hard-pressed if they didn't try to find some help via free agency now. With the roster currently at 15, the Knicks would have to release someone in order to open up a spot. Woodson has favored a small lineup featuring Carmelo Anthony at the power forward this season, so whether the team would target another big man or a tall perimeter forward if they did look to sign someone would be worth keeping in mind.