Steve Francis left the Knicks on Monday in order to help rehab his arthritic right knee with John Lucas in Houston.

"I don't think this is serious enough to keep him out," Isiah Thomas said, "but I'm not a doctor."

Before Sunday's loss to the Clippers, Francis predicted he would return this season.

"Never will it ever go away without months and months of rest," said Francis, who already has missed 12 games this season. "But I don't really foresee it hampering my career or anything like that. Hopefully, if I get some rest and get it better, I'll be OK."

"(Lucas' staff members) know his body and we're out here on the road, so he's not necessarily getting enough time out here on the road," Thomas said before yesterday's practice in Sacramento. When asked on Sunday if he believes his future is in New York, Francis said, "Yeah, definitely. I definitely feel that."