EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., March 3 (AP) -- Richard Jefferson will accompany the New Jersey Nets on an upcoming six-game road trip, but it is uncertain whether he'll play for the first time since undergoing ankle surgery in January.

The forward played some slow-paced one-on-one with rookie Hassan Adams on Saturday about an hour before the Nets played the Boston Celtics at the Continental Airlines Arena. It was the first one-on-one action for the six-year veteran since surgery on Jan. 22 on his right ankle.

"I don't even know if I will be back on this road trip,'' Jefferson said after his workout. "I would like to come back somewhere around the end, depending on how it feels.''

Jefferson, who seemed to be favoring his right ankle while landing on a couple of jump shots against Adams, hasn't pushed himself yet.

"I haven't done too much explosion stuff,'' Jefferson said. "I have done some cutting and some shooting, but I haven't dunked yet. I haven't tried to do anything too crazy. We'll see. I am excited about the time but I can't put a date on it.''

Even with the Nets fighting for a playoff berth, coach Lawrence Frank has no intention of pushing Jefferson, who is the team's third-leading scorer with a 16.1-point average.

Jefferson also averaged 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists in starting 33 of the Nets' first 40 games.

"There is no timetable for him to play,'' Frank said. "We just want to try to reintegrate him back with the team. Again, the feeling is if he wasn't going to be able to play, we wouldn't take him. The feeling is he is going to be able to play at some point on the trip.''

Jefferson sprained his ankle in a playoff game against the Miami Heat last season. He tweaked it again last summer, and has played through persistent pain and two cortisone shots this season.

The sixth-year pro played for the 2004 U.S. Olympic team. He missed five games earlier this season after injuring his left ankle as well.