ORLANDO, Fla. -- Grant Hill is planning a fourth operation on his left ankle that would require three weeks of rehabilitation, Florida Today reported Wednesday.

The Orlando Magic star was placed on the injured list Jan. 18. The Magic said no decision has been made on the next course of action.

"There's no definitive timetable to speak of today,'' team spokesman Joel Glass told The Associated Press.

Hill's agent, Lon Babby, did not immediately return a call.

However, Magic GM John Gabriel told ESPN Radio on Wednesday night that Hill will first undergo an MRI exam on the bothersome left ankle sometime within the next 12 days to determine if Hill truly needs the surgery.

Hill has missed 172 games since signing a $93 million contract with the Magic three years ago. He has had three operations to repair a stress fracture sustained during the 2000 playoffs while with Detroit.

Hill told Florida Today he will have X-rays next week. He said the operation is "more to just fix the structural issues than the fracture.''

"This is a little simple procedure that may have been the cause to all of these problems,'' he said Tuesday before Orlando's 99-94 win over New Orleans. "I use the analogy of a car being out of alignment and the tires keep wearing down and you keep changing them. Well, you've got to fix the alignment, not the tires over and over.''

Hill said he is happy that doctors have determined the source of the recurring pain.

"I feel relieved to know -- or at least have a good idea -- as to why this thing has occurred,'' he said. "I've never really had that before.''

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.