MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Timberwolves guard Troy Hudson is
strongly considering season-ending surgery on his sore right ankle,
which kept him out of his seventh straight game Wednesday night.
After a visit the day before with the North Carolina doctor who
conducted the original operation on his ankle in April 2004, Hudson
received the surgery recommendation and told the team that's what
he was leaning toward. The other options are to simply play with
the pain or to receive regular cortisone shots.
"It's Troy's decision," said coach Dwane Casey, whose team is
lacking in the 3-point shooting department with the departure of
Wally Szczerbiak. That's the area where Hudson helps the most.
After the ankle injury limited him to 29 games in 2003-04 and
kept him out of the playoffs, Hudson wasn't at full strength last
season and his production suffered -- after signing a six-year
contract that's worth up to $37 million.
He was off to a solid start as a sixth man this season,
averaging 12.4 points per game until straining his calf in early
December. Hudson returned then after a four-game absence, but the
ankle has flared up recently. And he'd rather have another
operation now than have the injury continue to linger.
"It's very disappointing," said Hudson, who is making more
than $5 million this season. "It seems like every time I go in and
think it's one thing, it's another."