SURGERY GOES WELL FOR SHAQ SLIGHT CHANCE HE CAN BE READY FOR SEASON OPENER.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

Doctors surgically restored flexibility in Shaquille O'Neal's right big toe Wednesday, offering hope the Lakers' franchise player no longer will be slowed by the arthritic condition that plagued him last season.

Dr. Robert Mohr, who performed the 45-minute procedure, in which bone spurs were shaved from the toe joint, declared the operation a success and said there were no complications.

``Hopefully, with the passage of time, Mother Nature and active rehabilitation, he should be back, better than he was at the end of last season,'' said Mohr, chief of podiatric surgery at UCLA Medical Center.

O'Neal's rehabilitation is expected to take six to eight weeks. His availability for the Oct. 29 season opener is in doubt, but his near-term health appears much brighter.

The buildup of bone spurs along the joint last season limited O'Neal's toe to about 30 degrees of motion and caused O'Neal such intense pain that he opted for heavy doses of anti-inflammatories. Mohr said athletic activity requires 60 to 80 degrees of motion.

After the operation, called a cheilectomy, O'Neal ``had significantly greater range of motion,'' Mohr said.

Although Mohr predicted a complete recovery, there is no cure for the arthritic condition - and thus no guarantee O'Neal won't encounter similar problems in the future.

The operation, while fairly routine, is somewhat rare for professional athletes, who put their bodies through much more strain than the average person.

``As far as the track record, I don't think there are many people of Mr. O'Neal's size and profession who have had this problem,'' Mohr said. ``But I don't anticipate any trouble with it.''

After surgery, O'Neal wore a protective boot on his right foot and an easy smile on his face, according to those who visited with him. He entertained visitors, including coach Phil Jackson, with his usual brand of off-color jokes.

``It seems he's no different than he's ever been,'' general manager Mitch Kupchak said with a wry grin.

O'Neal should be able to do cardiovascular exercise almost immediately, and should be back in a regular shoe and walking within two weeks, Mohr said. He is expected to be ready for light running by the six-week mark, around Oct. 23.

By that point, O'Neal will have missed all of training camp and all but two exhibition games. But Mohr said O'Neal could ``get back in action as soon as he can after that.''

Whether O'Neal, who turns 31 in March, will be able to play out his career without recurring problems in the toe is unknown. Doctors have said there is a small chance the cheilectomy could even accelerate the arthritis.

Dr. Phillip Kwong, a foot specialist at the Kerlan-Jobe Health South Clinic, said O'Neal has a ``premature wearing of the cartilage'' around the toe joint. In a recent interview, he compared the condition to a car that is out of alignment.

``As time goes on, and the mechanics and foot alignment change, this asymmetry worsens, like your wheel,'' said Kwong, who diagnosed O'Neal's condition last year.

The lack of cartilage, and the resulting friction between the ball and socket, cause the bones to crack. To fill those cracks, the body creates bone deposits, or ``spurs,'' which impinge movement.

Doctors can remove the spurs. But they cannot cure the arthritis.

``Trimming the spur may facilitate the movement in some ways, but you still don't have cartilage between the bones. That's going to be an ongoing issue,'' Kwong said. ``This is not a treatment that can remedy the underlying (problem). He still has an arthritic joint. ... You're trying to lengthen the longevity of what cartilage you have left. You haven't solved the biomechanical problem completely.''

While the Lakers wait for O'Neal to get healthy, Kupchak continues to scour the market for backup centers.

The Lakers invited more than a dozen big men to a minicamp this week. The most noteworthy are NBA veterans Ike Austin, who split last season between Memphis and Turkey, and Duane Causwell, who sat out last season after knee surgery.

Both could be invited to training camp to compete for a roster spot. But the Lakers are trying to minimize their luxury-tax hit and are unlikely to offer any additional guaranteed contracts.

More than likely, they'll hand over O'Neal's spot to returning veterans Samaki Walker and Slava Medvedenko, then sign someone as a short-term insurance policy.

``I don't think it's likely we'll go out and sign a player that we expect to be with us for the whole year, although that's always a possibility,'' Kupchak said.

Staff Writer Mariko Thompson contributed to this report.

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SOURCES: Dr. Rock G. Positano, The Hospital for Special Surgery

Dr. Alan Singer, UCLA School of Medicine

Associated Press