Jermaine O'Neal will undergo surgery on his left wrist and miss the remainder of the season, reports Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. O'Neal had been debating between trying to play through the injury or opting for surgery, and Bulpett says O'Neal and his doctor realized the wrist wouldn't heal without surgery (Twitter link).
Celtics coach Doc Rivers had already said he didn't expect O'Neal to play for Boston again this season, so the decision doesn't affect the Celtics' plan much. The team is still expected to add at least one big man to bolster a depleted frontcourt. For other contenders, O'Neal's surgery removes a potential buyout candidate from the mix.
Now the Celtics definitely need a big man…