Pacers O'Neal may miss the rest of the season

[SpursFanFirst]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3206523

The Indiana Pacers might have to try to qualify for the playoffs without one of their top players.

Center Jermaine O'Neal, who has been sidelined with a bruised left knee, told The Indianapolis Star for Monday's editions that he is willing to sit out the rest of the season to make sure his injury heals properly.

"That's really the prime option for me," O'Neal told the newspaper, referring to sitting out the rest of this season. "We're going to rehab now like it was the summer, with an extensive rehab. If that consists of a month or the rest of the season, I need to take the necessary steps to not come back on something that's not really healthy.

"That's the thing we have been saying. It's OK, but it really hasn't really been OK."

The Star reported that Pacers team president Larry Bird wasn't available for comment. On Saturday, the team issued a news release saying O'Neal would miss at least two weeks.

Last week, O'Neal said he was not fully healed from knee surgery to repair torn meniscus cartilage last April. He said he's surprised the healing process has been so slow.

O'Neal said he had trouble during last Wednesday's practice, but he started that night against Golden State. He left the game with 2:58 remaining in the first quarter after going scoreless and committing four turnovers in the first 9 minutes.

He is a six-time All-Star who averaged 19.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks last season, but has missed 89 games over the past 3½ seasons because of injuries, illnesses and suspensions. He has missed eight games this season.

"What's more important right now is doing the things necessary to get back healthy and also not have to get my whole damn knee replaced in 10 years," O'Neal told the Star.

The Pacers (18-23) are currently a half-game behind the New Jersey Nets (18-22) for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

[KidCongo]

this is bull

Auto draft i get Arenas and J-HO

both injured.

lucky i got some decent back ups.

[SpursFanFirst]

I say, "Good!" The team has more chemistry when he's off the court than on.

He's so overpaid and overrated. I really wish they could dump him off on someone else.

Did I just see a thread about a possible trade with NJ? Hm.

[Vinnie_Johnson]

That's true The Pacers play better without him. Boy The Pacers have had nothing but bad luck with their players health. What ever happened to Bender?

[Reggie Miller]

I have always been one of O'Neal biggest critics. That said, the Pacers need to get something of comparable value (or comparable theoretical value) for him, if only because they did not for Artest, Jackson, and Harrington. The Pacers are paper-thin in the front court already.

Thank God this team plays in the same Conference as the Bulls and the Knicks. Otherwise, they would be the laughingstock of the EC.

EDIT: I have always believed that the "real" troublemakers on this team were O'Neal and Tinsley. They got rid of the wrong two guys.

[1Parker1]

O'Neal is one of the MOST overated players in the NBA. Larry Bird and the Pacers are idiots for keeping him on the team the past 3-4 seasons. This guy is ALWAYS, ALWAYS injured. They needed to trade him while he still had some value so they could possibly have gotten some good value in return.

[PacerFan]

I wouldn't even care if we got fair value for O'Neal. I would take expiring contracts. Nobody goes to Indiana games anymore, so it isn't like they are capable of acquiring players and going over the luxury tax threshold. Getting rid of O'Neal for expiring contracts would give Indiana a lot of flexibility in the free agent market. I do agree with Tinsley and JO are bad apples, but more Jamal. I can't wait until he isn't a Pacer.