BOSTON – Boston Celtics forward Chris Wilcox is scheduled to have surgery for an enlarged aorta and will miss the rest of the season.

The team announced Wednesday that the surgery should allow him to resume his career next season.

The operation is scheduled for March 29 at the Cleveland Clinic, where another Celtics forward, Jeff Green, had season-ending surgery for an aortic aneurysm on Jan. 9. Doctors have said Green also should be able to play next season.

The 6-foot-10 Wilcox signed as a free agent on Dec. 10. In 28 games this season, he averaged 5.4 points and 4.4 rebounds.

“While we are saddened that Chris will not be able to play again this season, the most important thing is his health, and we were fortunate to have access to an amazing team of specialists to evaluate Chris’s case,” Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said.

The club said it gave the 29-year-old Wilcox frequent aortic scans because he has had an abnormality for a long time. It had remained stable during his 10-year career, but a recent scan showed “significant enlargement of his aorta,” the Celtics said. The surgery was scheduled after he received additional tests.

The Celtics are very thin at center without Wilcox and Jermaine O’Neal, sidelined by a wrist injury. Their only true center is rookie Greg Stiemsma, although Kevin Garnett can play there.

Coach Doc Rivers said his thoughts were with Wilcox and that he will be missed on the court.

“We have until tomorrow to see if we can extract a big from somewhere,” Rivers said before the Celtics played at Golden State on Wednesday night, referring to today’s trade deadline. “But we don’t want to give up anything so it’s going to be tough to do. … At the end of the day I like our team. Obviously we need a big, but let’s not do anything that hurts the team this year or in the future.”

MAGIC: Dwight Howard has told the team on the eve of the trade deadline that he won’t give up the option to become a free agent after this season.

Magic spokesman George Galante confirmed that Howard told the front office he won’t waive the early termination clause in his contract. Although Howard says he wants to finish this season in Orlando, the Magic are looking for assurances their superstar wants to be around longer.

The trade deadline is 3 p.m. today.

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

KNICKS 121, TRAIL BLAZERS 79: Amare Stoudemire made all seven shots in the first half, Carmelo Anthony passed and shot well, and New York shook off the surprising departure of Coach Mike D’Antoni to rout visiting Portland, snapping a six-game losing streak.

Anthony had 16 points and tied a season high with seven assists. Stoudemire finished with 17 points, before both stars sat out the fourth quarter.

LAKERS 107, HORNETS 101: Kobe Bryant scored 33 points, and visiting Los Angeles won its fourth straight game, and second in a row in overtime.

Andrew Bynum added 25 points and Pau Gasol had 18 for the Lakers, who trailed by 17 late in the first half.

SPURS 122, MAGIC 111: Tony Parker had 31 points and 12 assists, and Tim Duncan added 21 points and 13 rebounds as San Antonio won at home.

Dwight Howard had 22 points and 12 rebounds for Orlando.

BUCKS 115, CAVALIERS 105: Drew Gooden had 15 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists for his second career triple-double to lead Milwaukee to a win at home.

ROCKETS 107, BOBCATS 87: Luis Scola scored 23 points as Houston routed visiting Charlotte.

PACERS 111, 76ERS 94: Danny Granger scored 20 points and Indiana shot a season-high 57 percent to beat visiting Philadelphia.

NETS 98, RAPTORS 84: Kris Humphries had 16 points and a career-high 21 rebounds to lead New Jersey at home.