Zeljko Rebraca

The season for Clippers center Zeljko Rebraca is apparently over before it started. Rebraca, 7 feet and 265 pounds, will undergo surgery Tuesday on his lower back to remove herniated disk fragments discovered last week in an examination by team physician Tony Daly. The surgery, which is expected to keep the 34-year-old from Serbia out for the remainder of the season, will be performed by Dr. Robert Watkins.

Zeljko Rebraca, sidelined since late November after undergoing a surgical procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat, was cleared by doctors to be reactivated by the Clippers and is expected to return to the rotation next week. "I feel I just need to feel comfortable," the backup center said Thursday after practice. "Probably just a couple more days to work on my [conditioning]. Two months [sitting out] is a long time, with medication and everything." Rebraca averaged 4.6 points and 2.

Backup center Zeljko Rebraca, who sat out 24 games because of an irregular heartbeat, might be sidelined three more weeks after again experiencing chest pains, a Clipper spokesman said Thursday.

Backup center Zeljko Rebraca, sidelined most of the season because of heart and conditioning problems, experienced chest pains during pregame warmups Monday and was replaced by power forward Vin Baker on the active list. Rebraca underwent a noninvasive procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat Nov. 30. It was his second such procedure in three years.

Clippers -- An article in Sports on Saturday about the Clippers' loss to the Phoenix Suns reported that Zeljko Rebraca missed a shot from the top of the key with 22.3 seconds remaining. Marko Jaric missed the shot.

At least one Clipper free agent will be back next season. Bobby Simmons is gone, Marko Jaric is in limbo and Kerry Kittles was never in their plans, but backup center Zeljko Rebraca is close to reaching an agreement with the Clippers on a three-year contract, his agent said Thursday. "His desire was to return," agent Bill Duffy said. "He and his family have enjoyed L.A., and the Clipper experience worked out pretty well for him." Duffy said the deal could be completed today.

A day after a news conference introducing free-agent guard Cuttino Mobley, the Clippers announced the signing of backup center Zeljko Rebraca to a three-year, $9-million deal. Rebraca, who is 7 feet, averaged 5.8 points and 3.2 rebounds in 58 games last year with the Clippers. "I'm very happy to be back," said Rebraca, a four-year NBA veteran who also played with the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks. "Mike [Dunleavy's] an excellent coach and we have all the group coming back from last year.

Backup center Zeljko Rebraca is sidelined indefinitely after being hospitalized overnight because of an irregular heartbeat. Assistant trainer Johan Wang drove Rebraca to Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood after Wednesday's 103-100 victory over the Toronto Raptors at Staples Center.

Backup center Zeljko Rebraca, sidelined indefinitely because of an irregular heartbeat, was resting comfortably at home Friday and his heart rhythm was normal, Clipper Coach Mike Dunleavy said. "He felt totally fine today, and that's totally what you want to hear," Dunleavy said. "They'll run some other precautionary tests and tell us what they think, but that was good news."

Clipper backup center Zeljko Rebraca, sidelined since being diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat nearly a week ago, is scheduled for a noninvasive procedure to correct the problem Wednesday in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Clippers said that Rebraca, who underwent the same procedure in August 2003, would be sidelined for a month. But his agent, Bill Duffy, said Rebraca, 33, could resume playing as early as next week and Rebraca told teammates that he would be playing again in two weeks.