The Sonics could be without Ray Allen for an extended time as the shooting guard took himself out of the lineup Thursday with left ankle inflammation caused by a bone spur.

Allen, who missed nine games earlier this season with a bone bruise on his right ankle, said he has been feeling discomfort for weeks and finally decided to shut it down minutes after he arrived at KeyArena on Thursday. Allen will be examined today but a foot specialist and he is questionable for Sunday's game against the Charlotte Bobcats.

Damien Wilkins started in Allen's place, and the injury appears to be more than minor. Allen has had ankle problems in the past and revealed Thursday that he has a large bone spur in his left ankle that will likely need surgery.

"The doctor said the bone spur on my left side is the biggest 'I've ever seen in one of my patients,'" Allen said. "It didn't bother me. I know there's soreness in it. But in the last couple of days, I started feeling more soreness in it. It's just been getting worse."

Allen said he has bone spurs and scar tissue in both ankles and will undergo offseason surgery to clear up the issues. Allen has been getting special treatment on his ankles for the past several years but has avoided surgery.

When asked if he will have surgery this summer, he said: "Yeah, definitely, without question. I wish I would have done it (last summer), just had a scope, but at the time I didn't feel anything. I think now it's at the point where it's starting to say hey you need take notice and do something about it."