Bobcats' Oakley says assault led to back problem

Charlotte Bobcats assistant Charles Oakley isn't sure he'll be able to return to his job because of a painful back condition he says was caused during an assault last year in Las Vegas. Oakley has sued the Aria hotel-casino, claiming he was beaten by security guards in May 2010. Oakley said Saturday that two slipped disks from the incident led to a painful sciatic nerve condition that forced him to miss the Bobcats' final 13 games. He's still having trouble walking. One of the NBA's all-time tough guys as a player, Oakley was in his first season as an assistant. He says he doesn't know if he'll need surgery and if he'll be able to be on the bench in the fall. Coach Paul Silas says he'll decide soon whether to replace Oakley on his staff.