Shareef has back surgery! AJC

[chillzatl]

Abdur-Rahim has minor back surgery

By MICHAEL LEE

Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer

To keep a nagging lower back injury from becoming chronic, Shareef Abdur-Rahim underwent minor back surgery in Atlanta Tuesday morning. Abdur-Rahim, the Hawks' second-leading scorer last season, is expected to have a 10-to-12 week rehabilitation.

"He's scheduled to be in training camp," Hawks director of basketball operations and interim general manager Billy Knight said. "His back bothered him off and on last season. It didn't get worse, but it didn't go away."

Abdur-Rahim said his back has been an annoyance for most of his two seasons with the Hawks.

"I took a fall in Orlando [two years ago], and I've been dealing with it since then," he said. "I made up my mind that I was going to get my body all the way together this offseason."

The injury caused him to miss the season opener last year against the New Jersey Nets, but he returned to play the next 81 games and averaged 19.9 points and 8.4 rebounds. Abdur-Rahim said he decided to have surgery now, so that he wouldn't miss any part of the regular season.

Stotts to Bucks?

Hawks coach Terry Stotts confirmed he will meet with new Bucks general manager Larry Harris this week to discuss the vacancy created Sunday when the team bought out the final year of coach George Karl's contract.

Stotts spent the previous four years with the Bucks before an ugly split with Karl landed him with the Hawks staff last summer. He led the Hawks to a 24-31 record after taking over for Lon Kruger Dec. 26, but he has been making the rounds this summer while Texas automobile tycoon David McDavid tries to close on a sale with AOL. Stotts interviewed for the Philadelphia head coaching job eventually taken by Randy Ayers, and he was also contacted for assistant coaching jobs with the New York Knicks and Chicago.

Stotts filled in as Bucks interim head coach for two games -- both wins -- of the 2001-02 season when Karl took a leave of absence due to the death of his father.

Stotts also has an interesting connection with Harris, who took the reins after Ernie Grunfeld became president of basketball operations in Washington.

Harris is the son of Mavericks assistant Del Harris, who drafted Stotts in the second round in 1980 when he was head coach of the Houston Rockets.

Newble to Cleveland

As expected, swingman Ira Newble, 28, signed with Cleveland for four years and an option for a fifth, which could make the deal worth close to $15 million.