Yao Ming's Latest Injury Career Threatening?

(Above: Why can't I stay healthy?)

Just when the Rockets push the eventual champion L.A. Lakers to a seventh game, Ming breaks his foot. Again.

And then, after Houston was ousted, the Rockets' front office immediately tried rectifying the damage done by Ming's injury. Despite finding a gem in Aaron Brooks throughout the playoffs, they attempted to package him with Shane Battier in order to get Ricky Rubio.

First of all, nobody wants Shane Battier. Let's get that clear.

He's a heck of a team player and defender, but no team is going to trade a star or potential star for that guy—even if it's a package deal.

Secondly, Brooks is clearly a good player and could even be getting better.

So, instead of trying to pull off magical, fantasy-land trades, Houston should be practicing some much-needed damage control.

Which, oddly enough, is what they were intending on doing by initiating that trade.

However, it didn't go through (Minnesota scoffed at it), and now Houston has both Tracy McGrady's and Ming's futures to worry about.

With little more than a possible re-signing of Ron Artest and the young Brooks to fall back on, there's good reason for panic.

Early reports have Ming missing most of next season, if not all of it, while the injury he has could actually even shorten his career.

The fact is, people are just beginning to notice what Houston has been biting their fingernails over for the past four seasons.

Ming's bottom half is shutting down. He misses games. He doesn't finish the playoffs.

And this lovely little scene is stuck on repeat.

However, this time, it's at it's very saddest.

After helping the Rockets get out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time since before Steve Francis was in Houston, Ming was left to sulk on the bench as his team coughed up it's chance at advancing to the Western Conference Finals.

Talk about adding insult to injury.

Ming's original break wasn't looked at as a huge concern. Ironically enough, it was fairly routine, because he'd had these problems before.

Unfortunately, the bone did not heal properly, and now Yao is listed as being out "indefinitely."

So, really, this is as bad as it gets.

The Rockets went from a team that lost their supposed star and leader (McGrady), to a team that came together with the leadership and determination of both Yao and Artest.

Now the team is looking ahead to next season with a lineup that could very possibly be missing all three of those players.

Let's just say that Yao's devotion to playing for his country may have to be put on hold. So, too, will his dreams of an NBA Championship.

The truth is, no one knows exactly how bad this is for Yao Ming or the Rockets. All we do know is that they showed us something in these recent playoffs—something we may never see from a Houston team again in some time:

A healthy Yao Ming.