Whether they should have or not, expectations rose for the Knicks when they swung a blockbuster trade for superstar Carmelo Anthony in February 2011.

The thought at the time went something like this: Anthony, paired with fellow franchise cornerstone Amar'e Stoudemire, would give the organization a relatively young, high-scoring duo to put the Knicks in the running for a championship for years to come.

A little more than two years later, the Knicks are in decent position and are considered one of the few teams with an outside chance of knocking off the defending champion Miami Heat. But despite all that, there was an undoubtedly wistful tone Thursday, when both players put aside the title talk to focus on the issue of Stoudemire's health.

Amar'e Stoudemire Associated Press

Speaking for the first time since having his right knee scoped earlier in the month, Stoudemire said his rehab was going well, but suggested he wasn't sure whether he'd return this season. After having a second procedure—the $100-million power forward had the same debridement procedure during the preseason, but on his left knee—he said he'd wait until he was 100% to rejoin the team; whether that's during the postseason, or when the team gets ready to begin the 2013-2014 campaign.

He explained that the latest knee issue cropped up when the Knicks were in the midst of a four-games-in-five-nights span, and he simply didn't feel right trying to play through the pain after a loss to Oklahoma City. Still, he didn't blame the pounding he took in that heavily scheduled span, and instead alluded to his longstanding knee troubles.

"I don't think it had anything to do with the minutes," said Stoudemire, who is filming a documentary titled "In the Moment"—an EPIX-prodcued film due to premiere on April 19—to chronicle his rehabilitation efforts. "I honestly think it was just a matter of time before [a separate surgery would be required]." In a separate interview, Stoudemire said he hoped the procedure, which he's had before on his right knee, would give that leg another five or six years of durability in the NBA.

Given the number of injuries Stoudemire's been through, Anthony, when initially asked about his teammate, turned away from the issue of basketball briefly. "At this point, I'm just more concerned about his psyche and his mental [state]. That's my friend," said Anthony, who was promoting Degree deodorant near Madison Square Garden Thursday. (For his part, Stoudemire insisted that he's fine mentally, and that his spiritual life and family have kept him afloat in recent weeks.)

From a basketball standpoint, though, Anthony acknowledged feeling disappointed with the situation involving he and Stoudemire.

"It's not what I imagined at all. I was hoping we'd lead [the Knicks] to that promised land together. He was a big reason I wanted to come here," said Anthony, who has only played with Stoudemire in 54% (89 out of 164) of the team's games since the trade to New York. "I felt like I'd come here and have a large window [of time to win], and Amar'e was a big reason why. But it seems like he's just been snakebitten, and we can't get out there and play together."

Without question, the Knicks lose something without Stoudemire in the mix, particularly with the point-starved postseason on the horizon.

Stoudemire retooled his game, which once thrived on pick-and-rolls and midrange jumpers, into one that made him a valuable post player. More than 35% of his offensive plays were post-ups this season; up from just 10% last season—the increase largest in the NBA, according to Synergy Sports.

As such, he got much better looks at the basket. His average shot attempt was from four feet, nine inches away, down from eight feet, 10 inches out in 2011. The 47.2% reduction in average shot distance represents the biggest drop any NBA player has seen from one year to the next in five seasons, according to Stats LLC. (Aside from Anthony, the Knicks don't have other players with such back-to-the-basket ability.)

With forward Kenyon Martin, coach Mike Woodson already has a contingency plan in place in the event that Stoudemire doesn't return. But all too often lately, the Knicks have had to go with a Plan B in the playoffs. In 2010, it was point guard Chauncey Billups getting hurt. Last season, Jeremy Lin wasn't around to play. And that was before Stoudemire injured his hand while punching some glass protecting a fire extinguisher.

Now, the team will likely prepare for another shorthanded postseason—and more time without its two best players on the floor together. "I still feel like we need him out there, man," Anthony said. "But at this point, we just need him to get back to 100%. If that's the playoffs, great. But we all just want to see him take his time and do the right thing. Whatever it takes."