Jared Jeffries, counted on to help shore up the Knicks defense, will miss six to eight weeks with a broken left wrist.
Jeffries was hurt Friday against New Jersey in his New York debut. Knicks coach Isiah Thomas originally said Jeffries would miss three to six weeks, but the longer prognosis was given after Jeffries saw a hand specialist Monday.
Thomas signed the former Wizards swingman during the offseason and he was was expected to be the starting small forward.
"We'll try to find some other players to do the things that he does," Thomas said Tuesday. "The things that Jared brings to the table, he does instinctively and he's a natural. We'll have to try to find some other guys who really like to play defense. But there aren't a lot of those guys around."