Chris Bosh has failed his training camp physical with the Miami Heat. Will he ever return to the NBA again?
As first reported by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh will remain sidelined after failing his training camp physical conducted by team doctors.
The medical exam pointed to existing signs of blood clotting in Bosh’s leg, which has sidelined the 11-time All-Star for significant portions of the last two seasons.
As for his long-term prognosis, the clotting does not appear to be life-threatening, which of course is the lone nugget of good information in the latest of what has been a frustrating comeback attempt for Bosh.
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According to the report from Jackson, the team views it unrealistic at this point in time to set a timetable for Bosh’s return, if that does indeed ever happen again. The clotting found in the physical will require additional medication, which will keep him sidelined from play until further notice, derailing his previously optimistic expectation that he would be able to participate in training camp and games in the upcoming NBA season.
Bosh has remained steadfast in his resolve to return to the court over the last couple of months after receiving favorable reports from his physicians regarding his progress from the blood clots that had previously sidelined him off and on over the past couple of seasons. It is too early to tell if he will continue to attempt a comeback to the court, but there is a very good chance with this latest setback that his career with the Miami Heat is over.
In fact, according to a report furnished by Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, Pat Riley and the Miami Heat brass are beginning to “increasingly believe” that Bosh’s career with the Heat may be over.
Sources: Miami Heat increasingly believe Chris Bosh's career with franchise is over. For months, Bosh hasn't wanted to speak with Pat Riley.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 23, 2016
If Bosh attempts to make another comeback from his blood clots yet again, both he and the team will need to make a decision come Feb. 9, the date upon which his salary becomes guaranteed for the 2017-18 season.
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This date is important, because if Bosh is not medically cleared by league doctors and has not participated in a game for the Heat by that date, the team will be able to remove all salary cap burdens related to his contract for this year, as well as all future seasons remaining on his deal.
According to Spotrac, at $23.7 million, Bosh represents 25.2 percent of the team’s cap hit in 2016, so his release would create significant cap space right away, as well as in future seasons for Miami.
One item to note though, is that if the team releases Bosh by Feb. 9, but then he is medically cleared to play and mounts a return, he will be eligible to sign with any team in the league except for the Heat.
This has obviously been a story that is first and foremost about the health of Chris Bosh both on and off the court, now and into the future. He will need to contemplate just how much he wants to sacrifice in order to continue to play the game of basketball, which will be a difficult decision given that he is a husband and father of five young children.
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Hopefully his health improves and he will be able to return to the floor, but for now this can be seen as nothing other than a setback for Chris Bosh in his efforts to continue to play in the NBA.