Anthony Mason's debut with the Milwaukee Bucks will have to wait until the regular-season opener Tuesday night at Utah.

The original plan was to have Mason play up to 20 minutes off the bench in the Bucks' final exhibition game, a 97-90 victory against Golden State Friday night at the Staples Center.

But after working for more than an hour Friday morning during the team's shootaround at Loyola Marymount University, Mason decided he wasn't quite ready for competition after nearly five months of basketball inactivity.

"I'm not totally out of shape because I've been working out," Mason said. "But there's nothing like getting on the court."

Still, he is at least three weeks away from basketball shape, coach George Karl said. Whether Mason assumes his starting role Tuesday night against the Jazz remains to be seen, but it will be near the end of the month before he is prepared to play more than 30 minutes per game.

"There's still stuff I've got to work on, but I'm concentrating on being in the best shape I can get in," Mason said. "You concentrate better when you're in better shape."