Jerome James said he's close to deciding to undergo knee surgery that would put him out, he estimates, half the season.

James could make the decision next week after he is re-evaluated by team doctors. James needs the surgery eventually because his body is rejecting the screws in his knee from his 1999 ACL surgery.

James missed the preseason and was inactive last night because of knee swelling and pain.

"It's getting to that point," James told The Post. "They ask me every day. I keep saying I just want to see if it will get better. Fans can understand nobody wants to have surgery. It's not something you wakeup and say, 'I want to have surgery today.' You try to do everything you can as far as conditioning, treatment, extra work on the side to prevent it."