O'Neal

LOS ANGELES -- Lakers star Shaquille O'Neal, hampered by an arthritic big toe through much of last season, could reportedly undergo surgery in the next two weeks and might miss several games in the upcoming season.

Citing sources close to O'Neal, the Los Angeles Times said Dr. Robert Mohr, chief of podiatric surgery at the UCLA Medical Center, is expected to perform the procedure, called a cheilectomy.

Healing typically requires three months, the newspaper said, adding that O'Neal has been told he should be able to walk the day of the procedure, which takes between 20 and 30 minutes, and could be running in less than six weeks and playing by early to mid-November.

The three-time defending NBA champion Lakers open training camp Oct. 1 at their El Segundo headquarters and begin the regular season Oct. 29 at Staples Center against the San Antonio Spurs.

Lakers spokesman Mike Uhlenkamp said general manager Mitch Kupchak has been in touch with O'Neal about his right toe.

"The organization will make a comment when it's more appropriate, which would be when Shaq does decide to have surgery, if that's the route he chooses," Uhlenkamp said.

Michael Parris, O'Neal's co-agent and manager, refused comment, and a man answering Mohr's office phone in Santa Monica said he was on vacation.

O'Neal was on the injured list twice last season because of pain from his toe and missed a total of 15 games. He averaged 27.2 points and 10.7 rebounds -- below his career averages -- and wasn't the same player he'd been previously on defense.

However, the 30-year-old O'Neal stepped up his game when it counted the most, dominating the inside in the last two games of the Western Conference finals, when the Lakers beat Sacramento, and the NBA Finals, when they swept New Jersey.

When O'Neal went on the injured list the first time -- on Christmas Day -- team physician Dr. Steve Lombardo said surgery was a last option.

O'Neal said he didn't want to go through another season like last one and would consider his options over the summer. He had surgery late last August to correct a claw toe deformity on his left little toe but that didn't cause him to miss playing time.