Chris Bosh

Heat Notes: Wade, Bosh, J. Johnson, Draft

May 6th, 2017 at 7:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

Udonis Haslem and Tyler Johnson made a public appearance today to help Dwyane Wade sell sneakers, but they avoided questions about whether their former teammate might rejoin them with the Heat, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Wade is considering whether to opt out of his $23.8MM contract with the Bulls for next season. If he does, many believe he will decide to return to Miami, where he spent his first 13 seasons. Haslem and Johnson have both been in touch with Wade since Chicago was eliminated from the playoffs last week. “He’s going to have to make the best decision for him,” Johnson said. “I know he wants to be in a situation where he’s playing for a team that’s kind of established. I don’t think he wants to go through a rebuilding process.”

There’s more news out of Miami:

The Heat are expected to petition the league office soon to have Chris Bosh‘s salary removed from their cap. Bosh was kept on the roster all season after failing a physical in training camp over blood clot problems that have plagued him for the past two seasons. Haslem tells Winderman in the same story that he has contacted Bosh but hasn’t discussed his NBA future. “Chris is one of those guys, when he puts his mind it, he can do anything,” Haslem said. “So he doesn’t lack opportunity. He’s going to have a lot of opportunity to do a lot of things. He’s a very well-rounded guy. And whatever he does, he’s going to be great at it.” If Bosh is able to play enough games for another team, his $52MM salary would be put back onto the Heat’s cap.
Free agent forward James Johnson may not be guaranteed a starting job if he re-signs with the Heat this summer, Winderman speculates in another piece. With Dion Waiters and Goran Dragic both starting, Johnson may give Miami too many players on the court at the same time who need to handle the ball. Also, Justise Winslow may claim one of the starting forward slots when he returns from injury.
Winderman examines who the Heat might take if they keep the No. 14 pick in the May 16th lottery. Players who have been linked to Miami in that spot include Duke’s Harry Giles, UCLA’s T.J. Leaf, North Carolina’s Justin Jackson, California’s Ivan Rabb, Florida State’s Jonathan Isaac, Gonzaga’s Zach Collins, Indiana’s OG Anunoby, Duke’s Luke Kennard, Wake Forest’s John Collins and two overseas players, Terrence Ferguson of Australia and Frank Ntilikina of France.

Pat Riley Talks Wade, LeBron, Future, More

April 25th, 2017 at 10:17am CST by Luke Adams

At his season-ending press conference last week, Heat president Pat Riley admitted that this season was a difficult one for him, and that he was disappointed his club wasn’t able to nab a playoff spot after its incredible second-half run. In a fascinating piece for ESPN The Magazine, Wright Thompson takes a deeper dive into Riley’s year, examining the 72-year-old’s reluctance to retire, his thoughts on the end of the Heat’s Big Three era, and much more.

As Thompson details, despite Riley’s plans for his eventual retirement, the Heat president remains committed to his work with the team, joking that the idea that he’s retiring to Malibu is the “greatest lie in the world.” According to Thompson, Riley signed a new five-year contract with the Heat last year that allows him to work from anywhere, meaning he’s able to spend a little more time in Malibu and less time in Miami. However, he’s determined to win at least one more title with the Heat before riding off into the sunset, even as he recognizes that last championship “will be the toughest to get.”

Here are a few more highlights from Thompson’s feature on Riley:

According to Riley, Dwyane Wade‘s agent asked to deal directly with Heat ownership last summer, so Riley honored that request. However, he wishes he could have done things differently, especially after hearing that Wade was put off by Riley’s lack of involvement. “I know he feels I didn’t fight hard enough for him,” Riley said. “I was very, very sad when Dwyane said no. I wish I could have been there and told him why I didn’t really fight for him at the end. … I fought for the team. The one thing I wanted to do for him, and maybe this is what obscured my vision, but I wanted to get him another player so he could end his career competitive.”
When the Heat made their pitch to LeBron James during his free agency in 2014, Riley became worried that it was something of a courtesy meeting — Thompson notes that LeBron and his reps had their eye on a World Cup game during the meeting, and that Riley asked at one point to mute the volume. After flying home from the Las Vegas sit-down, Riley received a call from James and agent Rich Paul indicating that LeBron would be leaving Miami.
Riley on his initial reaction to LeBron’s decision: “I was silent. I didn’t say anything. My mind began to just go. And it was over. I was very angry when LeBron left. It was personal for me. It just was. I had a very good friend who talked me off the ledge and kept me from going out there and saying something like [Cavs owner] Dan Gilbert. I’m glad I didn’t do it.”
Riley on ultimately recognizing and respecting LeBron’s decision: “He went home because he had to go home. It was time. It was really time for him to go home, in his prime. If he’s ever gonna do anything in Akron again, this was the time to do it. Otherwise, he’d have had a scarlet letter on his back the rest of his whole life.”
With James gone to Cleveland, the Heat were at risk of losing Chris Bosh to the Rockets, prompting Riley to sign Bosh to a long-term, maximum salary deal. According to Thompson, Riley wishes in retrospect that he had said no to Bosh and given that lucrative long-term contract to Wade instead.
For more, be sure to check out Thompson’s full feature, which is a great read for Heat fans and non-fans alike.

Pat Riley Talks Heat, Offseason, Haslem, Bosh

April 19th, 2017 at 12:05pm CST by Luke Adams

At his season-ending press conference today, Heat president Pat Riley expressed optimism and enthusiasm about his team’s future, despite the fact that he was disappointed Miami wasn’t able to sneak into the playoffs.

“While we’re not in the playoffs, we’re ahead of the game,” Riley said. “The table is set, with the pick. We obviously know we have flexibility in free agency. We will see how that works out with our players and other players.

“I was pissed. They deserved to get in and they didn’t get in…. We won four out of our last five games against the best teams in the conference and we still didn’t get in. It was a great disappointment, but at the same time it was a lot of success.”

In addition to suggesting that he’s not sure how many more non-playoff years he can take, Riley weighed in on several items of note relating the Heat and their summer plans. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights, courtesy of Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald…

Asked about possibly pursuing a star free agent – as the Heat did a year ago with Kevin Durant – Riley downplayed that possibility, suggesting that “we are going to focus on our guys” rather than the “whales” he has talked about in the past. In addition to Dion Waiters and James Johnson, one of those guys is Udonis Haslem — Riley said today that he wants the longtime Heat big man back on the roster next season, calling Haslem “invaluable.”
The Heat may also go the trade route rather than making a massive free agent signing, according to Riley, who added that Justise Winslow is not “going anywhere.”
On the subject of Chris Bosh, Riley said there have been discussions within the organization about Bosh’s situation, but there’s no resolution yet.
Riley doesn’t mind not being at the very top of the draft, since he feels like he can get a solid player in the middle of the first round, and points out that seven of the top prospects are point guards, which he doesn’t need (Twitter links via Jackson).
The Heat president indicated that he was happy the team invested heavily in Hassan Whiteside last summer, adding that he believes the young center is capable of developing into the sort of player who averages 25 PPG, 17 RPG, and 6 APG.
Riley called the issue of resting healthy players an “absolute travesty” that needs to be addressed by the league, noting that the Heat don’t take part in that practice.
Riley also said that Miami’s goal is to establish a D-League affiliate within 100 miles of the NBA team (Twitter link via Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel). Currently, the Heat’s NBADL team plays in Sioux Falls, which is more than 1,800 miles away from Miami.
Be sure to check out Jackson’s recap for several more comments from Riley.

Eastern Rumors: Rondo, Bosh, Waiters, Magic

April 18th, 2017 at 1:49pm CST by Luke Adams

It was an up-and-down first year in Chicago for Rajon Rondo, who found himself in the starting lineup at times, and on the bench at other times. However, with the Bulls in the playoffs and holding their own so far against the No. 1 Celtics, Rondo said today that he hopes the club picks up its option on his contract for next season, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.

“I like where I’m at. I think we have a really good team,” Rondo said of the Bulls. “We made a big trade halfway through the season. All the things this year with 45 different lineups, we still made it to the playoffs.”

Rondo’s deal calls for a salary worth more than $13MM next season, but currently only $3MM of that figure is guaranteed. As Johnson notes, the veteran point guard said today that he’d like to be back with the Bulls even if Dwyane Wade opts out of his contract this summer.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Appearing on Larry King Now on Sunday, Heat big man Chris Bosh – who missed the entire 2016/17 season due to blood clot issues – reiterated that he hasn’t closed the door on attempting an NBA comeback. Bosh also said that he doesn’t have any real interest in coaching basketball after he officially retires as a player. Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel has the details and the quotes from Bosh.
James Johnson referred to Miami as “home” on Monday, and the Heat‘s other key free agent, Dion Waiters, also also expressed a desire to stay put this offseason, as Shandel Richardson of The South Florida Sun Sentinel writes. Still, Waiters acknowledged that he “can’t predict the future,” so it remains to be seen what his free agency holds.
Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders examines the Magic‘s search for a new general manager, noting that current Pacers GM Kevin Pritchard and former Pacers exec David Morway have both been mentioned by league sources as possible candidates for the Magic. Orlando head coach Frank Vogel worked with both Pritchard and Morway in Indiana.
Asked by Raul Barrigon of HoopsHype about his upcoming free agency, Celtics forward Jonas Jerebko suggested that he’s “not closing any doors,” but he isn’t sure yet what his future holds.

Latest On Chris Bosh, Heat

March 24th, 2017 at 10:41pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat have had the opportunity for the last month and a half to start the process of removing Chris Bosh‘s contract from their cap, but have yet to take serious action on that front. According to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, there are two reasons why the Heat are taking their time in pursuing an injury exclusion for Bosh, who last appeared in an NBA game in February 2016.

For one, the Heat still don’t need to use the roster spot that Bosh has occupied for the 2016/17 season, according to Jackson, who notes that none of the players currently – or recently – on the free agent market appeal much to Miami. In addition to not needing the roster spot occupied by Bosh, the club also currently has no use for the cap room his contract is taking up, since that space wouldn’t come in handy until the offseason.

Secondly, Jackson writes, the Heat want to leave the door open for the possibility of trading Bosh after the season. The veteran big man is likely to be ruled medically unfit to continue his career, and Miami is the only team that has the ability to remove his cap hit from its books — any team acquiring him wouldn’t be able to do so. As such, a trade is extremely unlikely, though Jackson suggests there were “preliminary trade inquiries” earlier in the season.

As Jackson explains, if Bosh is ruled medically unfit to play, insurance would cover most of his salary, so Miami wouldn’t be on the hook for much money. But trading him would take the Heat entirely off the hook, and the team wouldn’t have to worry about whether or not an independent physician would sign off on medical retirement — or whether Bosh would return to the court down the road, putting his salary back on their cap. Presumably, any team looking into acquiring Bosh would either have to believe that he can make a comeback or would be looking for the Heat to attach assets of value to his pricey contract.

As we’ve noted in many previous Bosh updates, his career is on hold – and may be permanently over – due to recurring blood clot issues. He’s on track to earn about $52MM over the next two years, but the Heat could remove those cap hits from their books if an independent doctor jointly approved by the NBA and NBPA deems his health issue to be career-ending. If Bosh played 25 games for a new club after being released by the Heat, his cap charge(s) would go back on Miami’s books.

According to Jackson, Bosh was scheduled to speak this week with a high-ranking Heat official.

Latest On Chris Bosh

February 28th, 2017 at 9:28pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Chris Bosh has missed over a year of action due to blood-clot issues and a source tells Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald that Bosh has not attempted to return this season. Jackson adds that the big man would like to play in the future should his health allow him to. Bosh addressed his situation on Monday during TNT’s Players Only coverage (via Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel). “My health is great. I’m feeling good, still working out, and just really still saying ready,” Bosh said.

Bosh failed his preseason physical with the Heat and team doctors believed his condition would be career-ending. Miami intended to move forward with its future plans, which did not include the big man. Yet, Bosh maintained hope of returning to the team at some point and it caused a strain in the relationship between Bosh and the franchise.

Sources tell Winderman that the Heat have attempted to reach out to Bosh over the past few days, hoping to find some middle ground. The big man hasn’t responded to the team, according to Winderman.

Miami is expected to petition the league for a medical exclusion, which would give Bosh the salary remaining on his deal, but take the amount owed off their future cap. Once the team waives him, an independent physician will determine Bosh’s ability to return to the court. Bosh must make himself available for this evaluation if he wants to receive his remaining salary. Jackson hears that the sides are expected to begin this process sometime during the month of March.

By waiting until after March 1, Miami can assure that Bosh won’t play 25 games this season, a mark that would force his salary back on its cap sheet. With the big man’s salary off the books, Miami could have roughly $38MM in cap space this summer.

Should the Heat use that cap room on players this offseason and Bosh plays 25 games for another team next season, Bosh’s salary would return to Miami’s cap. The franchise would not have to shed salary in that scenario, per league rules, but it would likely cause the team to be in the luxury tax.

Bosh spoke about how his life has been different since being sidelined with the condition.

“I think one of the interesting things that I didn’t anticipate was my mental health,” he said. “And that’s something that as athletes we have to take into regard because we’re used to a set schedule and we’re used to a certain type of world. And that’s something that I’ve really had to work on for my well being.”

Southeast Notes: Hawks, Porter, McClellan

February 25th, 2017 at 12:06pm CST by Austin Kent

Some Hawks fans were underwhelmed with Atlanta’s decision to quickly fill their roster vacancies with players they had cut previously in the year but head coach Mike Budenholzer cites their familiarity with the team’s system as the motivating factor, says Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta currently sits fifth in the Eastern Conference, well within reach of home-court advantage in the first-round if things break right in the second half of the season.

The two wings, Ryan Kelly and Lamar Patterson, have had multiple stints with the franchise, Kelly spending time with the club in training camp prior to being waived, later signed again shortly after opening day and waived once more in January and then Patterson playing last season with the franchise, getting cut over the summer and then coming back on a pair of 10-day contracts last month.

“We’ve continued to follow them closely,” Budenholzer told Vivlamore. “We feel like adding them to the group this year, not just this year because there is potential and hope that these are guys who fit us and understand how we play. Lots of time we talk about fit. We feel like Ryan and Lamar have that potential.”

Though the pair have only played in a combined 87 minutes for Atlanta in 2016/17, they’ll round out a lineup in “win-now” mode. Previously it seemed likely that the franchise would trade pending free agent Paul Millsap and embrace a rebuild but they’ve publicly changed course.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

The Wizards freed up cap space to make signing forward Otto Porter to an extension this summer possible. General manager Ernie Grunfeld recently spoke with J. Michael of CSN Mid-Atlantic about just that. “We love the way that he’s developed and how he’s come along. I think Otto fits in very well with what we’re trying to do,” Grunfeld said. “I said he’s part of our core and we want to keep him here.”
Over the All-Star Break, Wizards rookie Sheldon McClellan announced that he has legally changed his name to Sheldon Mac, says Chase Hughes of CSN Mid-Atlantic. The guard had thought about it for a while but held off for fear of complicating the scouting and drafting process he went through last year.
If the Heat want to free up a roster spot for the upcoming buyout market or even just for flexibility down the stretch, they’ll have to first deal with the Chris Bosh situation, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel.
Recently acquired forward Bojan Bogdanovic was looking forward to the trade that officially sent him to the Wizards. The veteran will come off the bench in Washington and tells J. Michael of CSN Mid-Atlantic that he doesn’t think it will be that big of an adjustment.
After getting waived by the Hornets, big man Mike Tobey has returned to the Greensboro Swarm of the D-League writes Chris Reichert of The Step Back.

Chris Bosh Joins TNT, Won’t Attempt Comeback This Season

February 24th, 2017 at 9:10am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran Heat big man Chris Bosh has signed on with TNT as a studio analyst, the network announced on Thursday. As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel details, Bosh will appear on TNT for five consecutive Mondays as an analyst, starting next week.

“We’re thrilled to have Chris make appearances with our Players Only studio team and we look forward to incorporating his fresh take and informed perspective into this new TNT series,” said Turner Sports executive VP Craig Barry in a statement. “Chris is still deeply connected with today’s NBA players and his insights into the game will further enhance the experience for our viewers.”

Bosh’s work for TNT is the strongest signal to date that his efforts to return to the court will be put on hold. Having missed more than a year due to blood-clot issues, Bosh hasn’t given up on the idea of making a comeback, but if it happens, it appears it won’t happen this season, given his new TV commitment.

As Winderman writes, the Heat have contended that Bosh’s health concerns make him medically unfit to continue his playing career. The team is expected to move forward in the coming weeks with the process of removing his contract from its cap — a doctor jointly approved by the NBA and the NBPA would have to rule Bosh medically unfit to play for the Heat to remove that salary. In that scenario, Bosh would still be paid the rest of the money left on his deal, but Miami would open up a significant chunk of cap room for the next few seasons.

Bosh currently isn’t in basketball shape, and suggested in a January interview with The Associated Press that he’s “getting the taste of retirement,” so there’s no guarantee he renews his comeback efforts next season. The 32-year-old did hire a new agent – Rob Pelinka – in 2016, but Pelinka’s ability to find Bosh opportunities outside of basketball was one factor in that decision. Of course, with Pelinka set to become the new Lakers GM, he will no longer be able to represent Bosh.

Serge Ibaka On Heat’s Radar

February 9th, 2017 at 10:57am CST by Luke Adams

Potential trade candidate Serge Ibaka is on the Heat’s radar, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. It’s not clear how seriously Miami would consider pursuing Ibaka, or whether the Heat would have the assets to tempt their division rivals in Orlando. Nonetheless, Ibaka “intrigues” the Heat, per Jackson.

A longtime member of the Thunder, Ibaka was sent to Orlando this past summer after spending his first seven NBA seasons in Oklahoma City. Currently, Ibaka is averaging a career-high 15.2 PPG for the Magic, though he’s playing a different style of game than he did earlier in his career.

Ibaka’s 1.5 three-pointers per game and 38.5% conversion rate on long-distance attempts are career bests. Those numbers reflect the fact that he has developed an outside shot in recent years after barely attempting any three-pointers during his first few seasons. However, Ibaka’s rim-protection numbers have taken a hit as of late — he’s averaging fewer than two blocks per 36 minutes this season for the first time in his career.

Still, while he may not be the shot-blocker he was earlier in his career, Ibaka can provide solid defense and rebounding in addition to his expanded offensive game. The 27-year-old is on track for unrestricted free agency this summer, which will make him an interesting trade chip. Suitors may be reluctant to give up much for a player that could be a rental, but the Magic will likely be seeking a significant return after surrendering Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis, and Ersan Ilyasova for Ibaka last summer.

While it remains to be seen whether the Heat could offer the Magic a package that would pique their interest, acquiring Ibaka would give the team a leg up on re-signing him this summer, since they’d hold his Bird rights. Even if Miami doesn’t make a move for Ibaka this month, he’ll likely remain a potential target for the franchise in free agency this offseason.

It’s also worth noting that today is the first day the Heat are eligible to pursue medical retirement for Chris Bosh, who has been out of action for a full year. Miami would have the opportunity to clear Bosh’s cap hits from the team’s salary cap, though reports have indicated that the club won’t necessarily move forward with that process right away.

Latest On Chris Bosh

February 4th, 2017 at 12:08pm CST by Milo Taibi

Having carried him on their 15-man roster all season long, the Heat have had a clear financial incentive to wait on waiving Chris Bosh. By postponing their decision until February 9, the team will be able to remove his current and future cap hits from their books (despite still being on the hook for his full salary).

While Miami is eligible to remove Bosh from their payroll as of next Thursday, the organization is believed to be leaning toward further delaying the process, according to a report from Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

Per Jackson’s report, the team doesn’t want to risk Bosh signing elsewhere and appearing in 25 games, at which point his salary would go back on Miami’s cap. By waiting until March 1 to waive Bosh, the team would eliminate the possibility of him making 25 appearances in 2016/17, since players signed after March 1 aren’t eligible to participate in playoff games.

Of course, there appears to be little risk of Bosh attempting a comeback this season. Back in the fall, the 11-time All-Star vowed to continue his efforts to return to the court, but he currently has no plans to play this season, and isn’t sure if he wants to attempt a comeback down the road, a Bosh associate tells Jackson. It’s also not certain whether he’ll ever be medically cleared to play, due to his blood-clot issues.

Bosh currently isn’t in basketball shape, and suggested in a January interview with The Associated Press that he’s “getting the taste of retirement.” The veteran big man did hire a new agent – Rob Pelinka – in 2016. However, Jackson notes that Bosh chose Pelinka because he’s also capable of finding the 32-year-old opportunities outside of basketball, in the event that he doesn’t play again.

Now in the third year of a five-year, $118.7MM contract, Bosh has played in a combined 97 games over the past two seasons.

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