Now thats big-time-like-Mike-Bibby news:
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/31619702/ns/sports-nba/
Rockets center's broken foot isn't healing properly, league exec says
Houston Rockets center Yao Ming's broken left foot isn't healing properly, and he could be out all of next season and possibly more, one report said Monday.
The Rockets are concerned that Yao might never play in the NBA again, Yahoo! reported, citing unnamed league executives and officials close to the Rockets star.
The foot, which Yao injured in a playoff loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, has not healed properly, Yahoo! reported. It's the same foot in which three pins were inserted a year ago.
“It sounds like he’s missing most of next season, if not the entire 82 games,” one league executive who has talked to the Rockets front office said, Yahoo! reported. “That’s all that (the Rockets) will concede quietly, but they know it’s probably much worse.”
Rockets general manager Daryl Morey declined comment on Yao's status Monday, Yahoo! reported. Last week the team said the center was out "indefinitely."
Definitely takes Yao out of the 1st round.... down to at least the 4th? If you're drafting him as a keeper for 2010-2011 its not worth getting him in the late 1st where he was already going to be ranked this year. In fact i think its even questionable whether he's worth all that much as a keeper in 2nd round vs. a .900+ player with tons more security (see Brand last season). If its me, unless the news changes between now and draft time, i'm not looking at Yao until 5th...
The other (and more) interesting question is what do the Rockets do now? Do they punt 2010 and play for 2011? Do they resign Artest? Trade Battier? McGrady?
Seems to me that any play for the future/play the young guys/look for offense benefits Aaron Brooks. He's a quick guard in a quick guard league and could lead that team in scoring? His playoff numbers only add up to paltry .685...
If this is the end for Yao... here's the career of the former #1 pick/franchise player to be will look like:
Played 7 seasons.
Scored 20+ ppg thrice, blocked 2+ spg thrice, boarded 10+ rpg twice.
Top All-Star vote getter for seven seasons?
83% Career FT shooter....
Made TWO 3-point shots.
Completed seasons 1 through 3.
Missed the end of the next 3.
Actually made it to the playoffs in year 7, but had career ending injury mid-way through 2nd round...
More from Rockets on Yao condition:
"At this point, the injury has the potential for him missing this next season and could be career threatening," team physician Tom Clanton said, according to the Houston Chronicle. "One of the things we are trying to get is a consensus opinion on that, to make certain there is no option we are overlooking that would provide an earlier return or would be an option for treatment that he would prefer rather than doing additional surgery."
Yahoo! Sports first reported that Yao could miss next season.
The team is weighing different options. Yao suffered a hairline fracture of the tarsal navicular bone of his left foot in the Rockets' second-round playoff loss to the Lakers on May 8. The team initially said Yao would miss eight to 12 weeks, but a bone scan last week revealed that the fracture is not healing properly.
"We are not going to comment," Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said, according to the Chronicle, "until we have all the facts."
While Yao could face surgery to insert a pin in the foot, a bone graft or even realignment of the foot, but the team is trying immobilization for right now. They are hoping that the fracture heals on its own.
"I don't think that is necessarily a longshot," Clanton said, according to the newspaper. "It takes a lot of time. It may be best to take more time. Sometimes that is the best option."
The Rockets are encouraged because Yao is not feeling any symptoms of the fracture.
"He has no tenderness, no swelling, no redness," Clanton said, according to the Chronicle. "When he came back in, he was feeling like everything was perfect, and he would start rehabilitation and get ready to play. The findings on the CT were shocking for him and for us."
And this little nugget on T-Mac:
The Rockets already expect Tracy McGrady to miss at least the first half of next season after microfracture surgery on his left knee.