Indiana Pacers center Steve Stipanovich says he is "proceeding as if my career is over" after seeing little improvement in his injured left knee, which forced him to miss all of last season.
Stipanovich, a 7-foot center, said Tuesday that he will not report to the Pacers training camp, which begins Oct. 6 at Purdue University. He said he has put his Indianapolis home up for sale and plans to move back to his hometown of St. Louis.He and Indiana general manager Donnie Walsh are expected to meet Wednesday to discuss two options: either Stipanovich will be placed on the suspended list, which gives the Pacers his rights for the next three years in case his knee gets better, or Stipanovich will voluntarily retire.
Stipanovich, the No. 2 pick overall in 1983 out of Missouri, said he has a "dead spot" in his left knee that hampers his movement. Stipanovich has worked in rehabilitation over the past year, but tests on the knee have shown almost no improvement.