Is a Bosh, James reunion possible?
Report: Former Heat player could petition NBA
MIAMI — For the Miami Heat, Chris Bosh has been out of sight for a while and, by rule, must remain out of mind. But the former All-Star forward still remains linked with former Big Three teammate LeBron James.
In the wake of James on Sunday agreeing to a four-year, free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, Sporting News is reporting that Bosh could consider an NBA return to play alongside his previous championship teammate.
“If Bosh were to return,” Sporting News reported, “re-joining James on a veteran’s minimum contract with the Lakers makes abundant sense.”
Bosh’s career with the Heat came to an end a year ago when an agreement was reached to remove his remaining salary from the Heat’s salary cap in the wake of a pair of episodes of blood clotting that has contributed to keeping him out of the game since 2016.
Prior to the episodes, Bosh, now 34, teamed with James and Dwyane Wade to help lead the Heat to four consecutive NBA Finals appearances from 2011 to 2014, after joining the Heat as a free agent in July 2010, with championships in 2012 and ’13.
A clause in the NBA agreement in May 2017 to allow the Heat to remove Bosh from their salary cap while still paying the AllStar forward the balance of his salary was that the team was ineligible going forward from re-signing him at any point. Bosh has since relocated his family from South Flor-
ida to a primary residence in the Los Angeles area.
According to the Sporting News report, “a source told Sporting News that Bosh could petition the league again for a return to action, arguing that advances in blood-thinning medication make him less likely to have an on-court problem and that he’s willing to accept responsibility for any such incidents.”
Bosh thrived as a James teammate, expanding his game to the 3-point line as a means to open the lane for James to attack the rim and collapse defenses.
Speculation of a potential Bosh return to the NBA with the Lakers first was floated when former agent Rob Pelinka was named general manager of the Lakers on March 7, 2017. That announcement came after Bosh had hired Pelinka as his agent amid his time away from the game. Pelinka has since ceased representing players.
Bosh remains due $26.8 million for the 2018-19 season from the Heat on the final year of the maximum contract he signed with the Heat in the 2014 offseason when James returned in free agency to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Wade, 36, remains a free agent this offseason, having previously indicated that his offseason decision would be limited to a Heat return or retirement.
Bosh’s last NBA appearance was a Feb. 9, 2016 Heat loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
During a February interview with Bleacher Report, Bosh said, “Physically, I’m great. We do know that medically, there are some conversations to be had. That’s a hell of a mountain to climb. I do understand that, and I want everybody to know that. I’m not being naive about it.”