National Basketball Association

Nuggets' Martin says he has no timetable

Published Jul. 7, 2010 12:47 a.m. ET

foxsports

Kenyon Martin says he has no timetable for his return from his latest knee operation.

The Denver Nuggets forward spoke briefly after arriving at his basketball camp in the Rocky Mountains on Tuesday, and in his first public comments since his latest operation, Martin told The Associated Press his surgically repaired left knee was feeling better but that he had no idea when he'll hit the NBA hardcourt again.

``The timetable is when I'm ready. When the knee is ready,'' Martin said. ``No timetable has been set. As far as coming back, when I'm ready, I'm ready. I'm doing all I can. I am rehabbing every day. Twice a day some days. So I'm definitely making progress.''

Martin, who missed several weeks down the stretch last season, is the first pro player in major American sports to successfully return from microfracture surgeries on both knees.

He was in the midst of playing some of the best basketball of his career when he had another setback with his troublesome knees. He returned at less than full strength for the playoffs, where the Nuggets were eliminated in the first round by the Utah Jazz a year after reaching the Western Conference finals.

``Disappointing the way it ended,'' Martin said. ``We have to look at some things. Maybe add some people, subtract some people. Who knows? We have to evaluate something. That's not acceptable. To make it to the Western Conference Finals and (then) not get out of the first round? That's unacceptable.''

Martin is entering the final year of his contract and the Nuggets can either rely on him as they make one more run at a championship with their veteran roster or try to trade him, although his $17 million salary and history of knee troubles complicates that option.

``It's the last year on my deal,'' Martin said. ``We'll see how it goes.''

A bigger question mark facing the Nuggets this summer is whether All-Star Carmelo Anthony will sign a three-year, $65 million extension that's been on the table for weeks.

Anthony, who is getting married this month, hasn't indicated one way or another what he'll do, although he has said he'd like the Nuggets to add some pieces to help him make a run at a title. Denver was unable to trade back into the draft last month to select another big man to go with the talented but oft-injured trio of Martin, Nene and Chris ``Birdman'' Andersen.

If Anthony spurns the Nuggets' offer, they might have to consider trading him to avoid losing him for nothing in a year, when he would be the headliner of the 2011 free agent class.

Martin said he hasn't a clue what Anthony will do.

``I have no idea. We are friends inside and outside of basketball. So I don't ask him about that,'' Martin said. ``There's a lot of speculation. He doesn't have a thing to worry about.''