George Karl expects Kenyon Martin to return from injury by January 1st, but the veteran power forward prefers the advice of his doctor.

"George is not my doctor,'' Martin said Wednesday. "George is not a doctor. George is a great basketball coach. George is not my doctor ... The only person who knows when I'm coming back is Dr. (Richard) Steadman.''

Martin wouldn't speculate on a date he could return but he did offer a clue about when he expects to know more. Martin said he has an appointment scheduled shortly after Thanksgiving, which is Nov. 25, with Steadman, a Vail, Colo., specialist who operated on his torn left patella.

"Not at all until I see him,'' Martin said of a timetable being known. "That's up to (Steadman), man. I don't have a brain when it comes to it. I use his brain.''

Martin is seeking a contract extension.