Photo

Click on photo to enlarge

Washington Wizards Gilbert Arenas smiles near the end of the overtime period against the Phoenix Suns during NBA action in Phoenix, Arizona, December 22, 2006. REUTERS/Jeff Topping

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Washington Wizards are frustrated by the recurring knee problems of Gilbert Arenas but they are prepared to play without their best player, All-Star forward Caron Butler said on Friday.

Arenas, who recently signed a six-year, $111 million contract, is recovering from his third knee operation in 17 months and will miss at least the first month of the season.

"It's frustrating because you can't wait to see him get back out on the court," Butler told reporters as the Wizards prepared to open their training camp.

"You know what he's capable of doing. He makes us a better team. But this is a situation that we've been in before. I think we know how to handle it."

Arenas, three-times All-Star guard, played in only 13 regular season games last season due to the problems in his left knee. The season before, he missed the final eight games of the year when the knee problems first surfaced.

Butler said Arenas's latest surgery was unexpected and "surprised a lot of people.

"The injury happened a couple years ago and people would expect by now it would have healed. The only encouraging thing is that the operation wasn't anything severe.

"It's not going to take as long (to come back) as it did last year. He should definitely be healthy when he steps back out on the court."

Guard Antonio Daniels said the Wizards will welcome back Arenas even if the team is playing well without him.

"A guy of Gil's caliber, what he means to this team, adjustments have to made regardless of the success that we have without him," he said. "Gil is the man on this team."

The Wizards have made the playoffs the last four seasons but to go further than the first round they will need a healthy Arenas, who has a career 22.8 scoring average and when healthy is one of the NBA's top players.

"The expectations for the team have risen," said Butler. "We need to get back to the talk of being a championship contender. The most important thing is being a dangerous team capable of going well into the playoffs.

"Having the season last only a week or two later than the regular season is no fun."

(Editing by Rex Gowar)