Título: Shaquille O'Neal
Seção: Toe surgery to departure
Background: O'Neal was born on March 6, 1972, in Newark, New Jersey, to Lucille O'Neal and Joe Toney, who played high school basketball (he was an All-State guard) and was offered a basketball scholarship to play at Seton Hall. Toney struggled with drug addiction and was imprisoned for drug possession when O'Neal was an infant. Upon his release, he did not resume a place in O'Neal's life and instead agreed to relinquish his parental rights to O'Neal's stepfather, Phillip A. Harrison, a career Army sergeant. O'Neal remained estranged from his biological father for decades; O'Neal had not spoken with Toney or expressed an interest in establishing a relationship.

Conteúdo: O'Neal missed the first 12 games of the 2002-2003 season recovering from toe surgery. He was sidelined with hallux rigidus, a degenerative arthritis in his toe. He waited the whole summer until just before training camp for the surgery and explained, "I got hurt on company time, so I'll heal on company time." O'Neal debated whether to have a more invasive surgery that would have kept him out an additional three months, but he opted against the more involved procedure. The Lakers started the season with a record of 11-19. At the end of the season, the Lakers had fallen to the fifth seed and failed to reach the Finals in 2003.  For the 2003-04 season, the team made a concerted off-season effort to improve its roster. They sought the free-agent services of forward Karl Malone and aging guard Gary Payton, but due to salary cap restrictions, could not offer either one nearly as much money as they could have made with some other teams. O'Neal assisted in the recruitment efforts and personally persuaded both men to join the squad. Ultimately, both signed, each forgoing larger salaries in favor of a chance to win an NBA championship, which neither had accomplished in his career (and which neither would achieve with the Lakers). At the beginning of the 2003-04 season, O'Neal wanted a contract extension with a pay raise on his remaining three years for $30 million. The Lakers had hoped O'Neal would take less money due to his age, physical conditioning, and games missed due to injuries.

user: how did he hurt his toe?

assistant: He was sidelined with hallux rigidus, a degenerative arthritis in his toe.

user: did he lose his toe in the surgery?

assistant: O'Neal debated whether to have a more invasive surgery that would have kept him out an additional three months, but he opted against the more involved procedure.

user: What year was his toe surgery?

assistant: O'Neal missed the first 12 games of the 2002-2003 season recovering from toe surgery.

user: How long did the surgery last?

assistant: CANNOTANSWER

user: what rehab did he have after the survey?

assistant: O'Neal missed the first 12 games of the 2002-2003 season recovering from toe surgery.

user: How much longer did he play after returning after 2003 season?

assistant: CANNOTANSWER

user: when did he depart from NBA?

assistant: the team's decisions were centered on a desire to appease Bryant to the exclusion of all other concerns, and O'Neal promptly demanded a trade.