Is he or is he not retiring? Malone's agent, Dwight Manley, set the record straight on Thursday by denying reports the second-leading scorer in NBA history was set on retiring.

Karl Malone had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee this week and will decide during the summer if he will return for another season.

"He definitely hasn't made a decision if he's retiring," Manley told The Associated Press from his Newport Beach office. "At this time, I'd bet that he plays, personally."

"The retirement reports are way out there -- wrong," Manley said. "It's Karl Malone, he'd play with an amputation. People know if something hurts, he'll play through it."

Manley said Malone had surgery Tuesday and "the doctor was more than pleased."

"He's up and around today," the agent said. "His whole body is 100 percent. At this time, what he really needs is what he's needed every offseason -- just to get away from basketball."

Lakers spokesman John Black said "our understanding about the possibility of retirement is he's going to take his time and make a decision toward the end of the summer."