CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Kurt Thomas was back, Allan Houston and Michael Doleac were sidelined and Latrell Sprewell was again the main topic of conversation on the second day of training camp for the problem-plagued New York Knicks.

	Sprewell

	Thomas

The team disclosed Wednesday that Sprewell will remain in New York for the rest of the week before having a meeting Monday with coach Don Chaney and team president Scott Layden.

Sprewell underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a broken bone in his right hand -- an injury for which no suitable explanation has been provided. The Knicks have not disclosed how Sprewell injured himself, other than to say he "banged it" about two weeks ago.

It is unclear whether Sprewell has provided the team with any other details regarding the injury, which will sideline him for at least six weeks.

"I haven't really talked to him in detail. That's why I want to speak to him Monday about the whole ordeal, where he's coming from, what he's feeling and the whole incident itself," Chaney said.

The Knicks had been saying for two days that Sprewell would join the team in Charleston on Wednesday or Thursday, but those plans have abruptly changed.

Layden said the decision for Sprewell to remain in New York was made by the team, not by Sprewell.

"As far as training camp is concerned," Layden said, "certainly we're focused on the players that are here."

Among those players are Houston and Doleac, who watched practice from the sidelines Wednesday while nursing injuries. Houston had a sore right ankle that he sprained a few weeks ago, while Doleac strained his left hamstring during Tuesday night's practice. Neither injury was considered serious.

Thomas, meanwhile, rushed to Charleston following his arraignment on charges stemming from an altercation with his wife at their Connecticut home.

Thomas is under court order to stay away from his wife, Amber, and the couple's home. Lawyers said they are getting a divorce after about two years of marriage.

"The thing that is going to be tough for me is not being able to see my (2-year-old) kid. Other than that, it doesn't bother me at all," said Thomas, a self-described laid-back Texan.

Thomas said he felt stronger and quicker than he did a year ago when he had career-high averages of 13.9 points and 9.1 rebounds despite playing out of position at center.

The 6-foot-9 Thomas again will start in the middle for New York, but this season he'll be playing alongside newly acquired power forward Antonio McDyess.

"He's so athletic, and he can really stretch the defense with his ability to go outside," Thomas said. "But you've got to be patient, give us time to learn what each other like to do out there on the court."

Thomas was in a cheerful mood for someone who had gone through so much turmoil in the preceding 48 hours.

On his way to the team's practice facility for media day Monday, Thomas received a call from Connecticut police asking him to return. He was arrested upon his arrival, posted $1,000 bail and then was arraigned on charges of third-degree assault and risking injury to a minor. After leaving court, Thomas caught a flight to Charleston in time to make it to Tuesday night's practice.

"No one wants to go through something like this, especially when it's in the public eye. But I have to take that with my profession and deal with it," Thomas said.

Thomas seemed unconcerned that fans might taunt him in the upcoming season.

"I deal with fans every day. You either love Kurt or you hate Kurt, plain and simple. I don't really fall in between. It's been that way my whole career, so it doesn't bother me," he said.