Associated Press
The NBA notebook …
HOUSTON ó 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 on Monday 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.
WE WANT RUBIO
MINNEAPOLIS ó Four days after Ricky Rubio was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves, it appears that the teenage Spanish sensation has become the most wanted man in the NBA.
Executives across the league are flooding Timberwolves president David Kahn’s office with calls offering trades to bring Rubio’s slick passing skills and moptop hairstyle to their cities. In the Twin Cities, fans can’t wait to see the highlight factory zipping behind-the-back feeds to Al Jefferson and Kevin Love.
But Rubio’s availability for the upcoming season has been cast into doubt by a $6.6 million buyout of his contract with DKV Joventut in Spain. His agent, Dan Fegan, is trying to negotiate that number down to ease the financial burden on his client, and there is some question as to whether Rubio wants to play in the relatively small Minnesota market.
With all of those factors, one would think Kahn is feeling some pressure to resolve the matter.
Not exactly.
Kahn is declining comment on Rubio for the time being.
JAZZSALT LAKE CITY ó Kyle Korver has decided he will stay with the Utah Jazz at least one more season.
Korver had the option to stay with the Jazz for the final year of his contract or opt out and become a free agent this summer.
The reserve shooting guard is guaranteed $5.2 million next season.
Utah is still awaiting word from forward Carlos Boozer and center Mehmet Okur, who also have the option of voiding the final year of their contract.
BUCKSMILWAUKEE ó 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 ó allowing one of their top scorers from last season to become an unrestricted free agent.