HOUSTON - Chinese superstar center Yao Ming's broken left foot could be a "career-threatening" injury, the team doctor for the NBA's Houston Rockets told the Houston Chronicle on Monday.

Tom Clanton told the newspaper that the 7-foot-6 giant's decision on what sort of treatment he wants to fix the break could see him miss the entire 2009-2010 NBA season or have the potential to risk his ever returning.

"At this point, the injury has the potential for him missing this next season and could be career threatening," Clanton told the 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."

Yao is planning to meet with several specialists to consider all possible alternatives. Clanton would not say what his advice would be but said Yao could try again to immobilize the foot to hope the fracture heals on its own.

"I don't think that is necessarily a longshot," Clanton said. "It takes a lot of time. It may be best to take more time. Sometimes that is the best option."

Several previous Yao bone injuries have been solved that way and doctors hopes this one would as well but last week it was learned that no progress had been made on healing the broken tarsal navicular bone.

The team had nothing to say regarding fears Yao might never play again.

"We are not going to comment until we have all the facts," Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said.