Knicks activate Sprewell from injured list

NEW YORK, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- Swingman Latrell Sprewell, who has had his differences with the New York Knicks since the beginning of training camp, was activated Saturday.

Sprewell had been on the injured list since Oct. 28 with a broken bone in his right hand. There are conflicting reports on how the injury occurred, but it happened during an outing on Sprewell's yacht in September.

Sprewell neglected to tell the Knicks about the injury until arriving at training camp in October. He subsequently was fined $250,000 by the Knicks and told to stay away from the team's facilities until beginning rehabilitation on the injury.

Last month, Sprewell filed a $40.25 million lawsuit against the New York Post, seeking damages for defamation of character.

The 6-5 Sprewell will come off the bench in Saturday's matinee against the Philadelphia 76ers. Knicks coach Don Chaney is hopeful his swingman will inject some life into his club, which has the worst record in the Eastern Conference at 1-7.

Last season, Sprewell averaged 19.4 points per game, but the Knicks missed the playoffs for the first time in 15 years.

Sprewell was fined after meeting with Chaney, Knicks president Scott Layden and Madison Square Garden president Steve Mills. Management was not overly concerned with how Sprewell broke the hand, but rather why he waited 10 days to inform them.

There have been numerous reports that Sprewell suffered the injury during a Sept. 20 skirmish on his yacht. Those reports in the Post are at the core of his lawsuit. Sprewell's agent, Bob Gist, claimed his client broke his hand while skippering the yacht into safety after the boat was hit by a big wave.

The Knicks were known in the past for excusing Sprewell for many transgressions. He skipped all of training camp in 1999 without explanation and routinely arrived late for games during his four seasons in New York. He was on time Saturday.

A two-time All-Star, Sprewell is known for choking his former coach P.J. Carlesimo with the Golden State Warriors and was suspended for the majority of the 1997-98 season. He was traded to the Knicks prior to the following season and helped lead them to the 1999 NBA Finals.