<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> February 7, 2007 -- Gone are the whispers of a buyout, the questions of whether Steve Francis will ever play a major role for the Knicks, or even play at all. The guard, out since Dec. 29 with right knee tendinitis, said yesterday he'll likely return on the Knicks' three-game western swing - meaning he could be back as soon as Saturday in Utah, or no later than a week from today. And with Stephon Marbury (knee) playing in pain, coach Isiah Thomas yesterday finally said there will be a role for Francis - perhaps a big one. "I'm not sure," Francis said of his return date before the Knicks' 102-90 Garden win over the Clippers. "I'm not going to say a specific date. I've been feeling great in practice. I've been shooting the ball pretty well. I'm just trying to get my conditioning where it needs to be." Asked if he'd be back before the All-Star break, he said, "It's a strong possibility. A very heavy, strong possibility." After Saturday, the Knicks play Tuesday at the Lakers and Wednesday at Golden State before the break. "He's looking pretty good, and he can possibly be back maybe before the break," Thomas said. "He looks good to me." Francis missed eight straight games from Dec. 9 to Dec. 22. Then, after an aborted three-game return to the court, he shut it down again. He's averaging career-lows of 10.8 points and 3.5 assists in his two dozen appearances so far this season. Francis retreated to Houston's West Side Tennis Club to do his rehab work with John Lucas, as former Knick Penny Hardaway had done earlier, sparking reports that he might be forced to take a buyout of a massive contract that will pay him $16.4 million next season and nearly $17.2 million the season after that. </div> Source
