HOUSTON — Rockets center Yao Ming's broken left foot could be a "career-threatening" injury.

Dr. Tom Clanton, the Houston Rockets' team physician, told the Houston Chronicle yesterday that Yao's injury "has the potential for him missing this next season and could be career-threatening."

Yahoo! Sports first reported the Rockets and Yao's representatives were concerned the 7-foot-6 All-Star would never play again. Yahoo! Sports quoted "multiple league executives, officials close to Yao and two doctors with knowledge of the diagnoses."

Yao suffered a hairline fracture of the tarsal navicular bone late in a May 8 playoff game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The team said last week the injury hasn't healed and he was out indefinitely.

Yao played in 77 regular-season games in 2008-09, his most injury-free year since 2004-05, when he played in 80.

Last week, the team said Yao would undergo additional tests and consult with other doctors to map out a new course of treatment.

BUCKS

VILLANUEVA SET FREE

The Milwaukee Bucks have made qualifying offers to restricted free agent guard Ramon Sessions and forward Ersan Ilyasova, but will not make an offer to forward Charlie Villanueva — allowing one of their top scorers from last season to become an unrestricted free agent.

Bucks general manager John Hammond said yesterday that the team already had sent offers to Sessions and Ilyasova, giving Milwaukee the right to match any contract offers from other teams. Sessions played in 79 games last year and averaged 12.4 points and 5.7 assists per game. Ilyasova played for Milwaukee in the 2007-08 season but has been playing in Spain since then.

Villanueva, the seventh overall pick in the 2005 draft, played three seasons in Milwaukee. He averaged a career-best 16.2 points last season.

JAZZ

KORVER WILL STAY

Kyle Korver has decided he will stay with the Utah Jazz at least one more season, exercising his option for the final year of his contract.

The reserve shooting guard is guaranteed $5.2 million next season.