Knicks guard Larry Hughes has grown a beard and doesn't plan to shave it until he's traded, released or becomes a part of the team's rotation again.

"I'm not going to play," Hughes said. "I know that."

He has logged 15 minutes in two games over the last month. New York coach Mike D'Antoni played Jonathan Bender over Hughes this weekend when Al Harrington was sidelined with an injury.

Hughes was the only available player that didn't take the court in the team's pair of weekend games.

"(My frustration) is as high as it's going to get," he said. "I can't get any more frustrated than I already am."

Hughes is earning $14 million this season and can become a free agent on July 1. He calls January a "month lost" and revealed Sunday that he and his agent are constantly talking about ways to gain his freedom from the Knicks.

"We'll figure this thing out," Hughes said. "Hopefully sooner than later."