Amar'e Stoudemire undergoes surgery, out 6-8 weeks

The New York Knicks will begin their season without Amar'e Stoudemire, reports ESPN's Ian Begley, as the forward underwent surgery on Wednesday and will miss six to eight weeks. Stoudemire had a debridement procedure on his left knee, clearing out scar tissue or other foreign material.

Stoudemire would be out until at least early December. The way New York's schedule plays out, a Dec. 12 return would have Stoudemire missing at least 20 games.

Stoudemire has a history of knee injuries. A microfracture required surgery in 2005, something that gave most teams pause when Stoudemire was a free agent in 2010. The Knicks eventually signed him to a five-year, $100 million contract.

A bulging disc in his back caused Stoudemire to miss 13 games in the 2011-2012 season, and the team's resulting reliance on Carmelo Anthony paid off: The Knicks went 9-4 in that stretch. Stoudemire also missed time in the playoffs after punching a glass case after a Knicks loss to the Miami Heat. In addition to a heavier contribution from Anthony, the Knicks have veteran Kurt Thomas to fill in at forward.