"Whether Vince Carter has knee surgery or not, the new Suns guard appears he is not ready to play Thursday against Miami.

Carter was learning plays and teammates at US Airways Center on Tuesday, a day the Suns practiced for the new guys. Carter was slated to see a doctor later about his left knee. He said swelling has returned after he injured it and had "excruciating" pain Nov. 22, causing him to miss the ensuing three games.

"It still bothered me," Carter said. "I just tried to keep playing, being hard-headed and not listening to your body. There's been some swelling. The day of the trade is when I told them (Orlando) I wanted to get a MRI."

If Carter has the knee scoped, he could miss up to a month. Otherwise, he could rest it a few games.

"I heal like a young guy, but we'll see what happens," Carter said."