Seikaly Heads For Surgery, May Miss Rest Of Season

The Golden State Warriors received some more bad news Wednesday with the disclosure that center Rony Seikaly needs ankle surgery, and probably is lost for the rest of the year.

Dr. Roger Mann, a San Francisco foot specialist, says Seikaly needs surgery to pare down a bone pinching a tendon in his right ankle.

Seikaly was planning to get a second opinion from a doctor in Miami, where he played for the Heat before being traded to Golden State for Billy Owens in November. He’s hoping that doctor might recommend simply placing his ankle in a cast and a period of rest.

“But if the bone is sitting on the tendon, there’s not much else to do,” he said.

Whatley replaces Ehlo

Guard Ennis Whatley, an eightyear NBA veteran, signed a 10-day contract with the Atlanta Hawks.

Whatley, who played at Alabama, replaces Craig Ehlo on the Hawks roster. Ehlo is recovering from Feb. 14 arthroscopic surgery in his left knee. The former Washington State University standout is averaging 10.1 points a game.

Minnesota GM quits

Jack McCloskey, who built backto-back NBA championship teams in Detroit before coming to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1992, announced that he will retire at the end of the season.

Assistant general manager Kevin McHale, a Hibbing native and former University of Minnesota and Boston Celtics star, is considered the likely successor.

The Timberwolves entered this season with the NBA’s worst record since they joined the league in 1989. After Tuesday night’s loss at Denver, Minnesota’s 14-41 record was better than only Washington and the Los Angeles Clippers.