INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (AFP) — Indiana Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal told the Indianapolis Star he would skip the remainder of the National Basketball Association season to allow his injured left knee to heal.
Two days after the Pacers issued a statement saying O'Neal would miss at least two weeks with a bone bruise in his knee, O'Neal said the knee, which underwent surgery last April, has not fully recovered and he returned too soon.
Missing the remainder of the season "really is the prime option for me," O'Neal told the Star. "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.
"What's more important right now is doing the things necessary to get back healthy and also not have to get my whole knee replaced in 10 years."
O'Neal, who has missed eight games this season, said he realized he needed to take action after playing only nine minutes against Golden State eight days ago.
O'Neal will travel with the club and speak with specialists in New York and Los Angeles.
At 18-23, the Pacers are fighting for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Losing O'Neal, who averages 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds, would be a major setback.
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