Jonathan Bender, who signed with the Knicks on Sunday after three seasons away from the game, is unlikely to play until this coming weekend.

Bender was inactive for Tuesday's game against Charlotte and New York coach Mike D'Antoni said that the forward will probably sit out Thursday's game against Chicago as well.

Injuries forced Bender to miss 172 games from 2002 to 2005 before chronic pain in both knees sidelined him indefinitely in February 2006.

"I had talked to [Knicks president] Donnie [Walsh] a couple months before and he was like, 'Whenever you're ready,' " Bender said Tuesday. "When I got to that point, that's what I did."

Bender has career averages of 5.6 points and 2.2 rebounds.