O’Neal’s Status Still in Limbo

Shaquille O’Neal said he’s not terribly bored yet, now more than three weeks since the start of a training camp in which he has not run a single sanctioned sprint.

Wednesday will be six weeks since the surgery his doctor believes will free him from the bother of his cranky big toe, six weeks once being the optimistic end of the estimates for O’Neal’s recovery.

Instead, O’Neal spends his hours sweating atop exercise equipment, watching as replacement centers Soumaila Samake and Samaki Walker grind toward the regular season, Tim Duncan and David Robinson waiting first.

“I’m in 100% treadmill shape,” O’Neal said, laughing.

O’Neal’s next appointment with Dr. Robert Mohr is Thursday afternoon, he’s pretty sure, and though he still feels pain beneath his afflicted toe, he hopes to be cleared to run by then.

While O’Neal’s rehabilitation has not gone poorly, neither has it been the uncomplicated process the Lakers once hoped would have him playing games in the first week or so of the season. It is why the Lakers have all but decided to carry Samake, the 7-footer from Mali, Africa, first hyped in a Little Rock, Ark., hallway by O’Neal himself.

Backpedaling some from Saturday night’s admission that Samake was a possible -- and perhaps likely -- starter at center on opening night, Coach Phil Jackson said Samake still hadn’t beaten out Guy Rucker, a free agent three years out of Iowa.

“They’re going down to this last week, we’ll see who plays best as far as who’s going to make our team, or at least make an effort to make our team,” Jackson said.

That would be news to most, including the players, who are assuming Samake is a lock at least until O’Neal is ready to play.

In fact, having another true center around has gotten O’Neal to dreaming.

“He can do all that big-man stuff,” he said, grinning, “and I can get out on the wing.”

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Kobe Bryant, Rick Fox, Mark Madsen and Tracy Murray visited Miles Elementary School in Huntington Park after Monday’s practice as part of the NBA’s “Reach to Achieve Week.” Miles Avenue has 1,800 students.... Brian Shaw, who has a strained groin, did not practice Monday and said he was unlikely to play tonight in San Diego against the Cleveland Cavaliers.... Slava Medvedenko has made 19 of 33 field-goal attempts in the exhibition season.

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Latrell Sprewell of the New York Knicks sued the New York Post for $40 million for its account of how he injured his right hand, later met with reporters and denounced the way the team has treated him and then got word that the Knicks suspended him for tonight’s exhibition game against Utah for failing to follow his rehabilitation program. The suspension will cost Sprewell $140,000, or 1/90th of his $12.6-million salary.... Minnesota guard Felipe Lopez is expected to miss the season after tearing ligaments in his left knee during an exhibition game against Boston on Saturday.... Detroit Piston forward Don Reid had surgery on his right Achilles’ tendon and is out for the season. He was hurt against Miami on Sunday.

Baron Davis’ back injury is not getting better, and he could miss the season opener against Utah on Oct. 30. The New Orleans Hornets have been describing Davis’ injury as back spasms.... Cleveland rookie guard Dajuan Wagner will remain hospitalized with a bladder infection and will have more tests. The team had expected Wagner to be released Monday. He has been in a Cleveland hospital since last Tuesday and has not played in any of the Cavaliers’ exhibition games.