Heat reeling from Bosh health woes
Heat will have new look as Grizzlies claim Andersen
Star will recover; Heat might not.
MIAMI— Physically taxing and fiscally taxing realities collided Tuesday for the Miami Heat, with Chris Bosh’s playing future indoubt and Chris Andersen’s playing time now to come elsewhere.
On a day Bosh’s medical teamwasweighing options amid a recurrence of the blood clots that sidelined the All-Star forward for the second half of last season, the Heat announced that Andersen, the colorful center known as “Birdman,” has been dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies.
In the grand scheme, the Bosh situation is far more impactful from a qualityand longterm basketball perspective, while the Andersen deal moves to ease the Heat’s position against the punitive NBA luxury tax.
The Bosh and Andersen situations are interlocked in that it no longer appears that theHeat are in position to contend in the Eastern Conference, with Bosh possibly out for the balance of the season, if not longer. Against that backdrop, the dumping of Andersen’s salary allows the Heat to move closer to escaping the luxury tax by Thursday’s 3 p.m. NBA trading deadline.
After missing the second half of last season due to blood clots in his lung that the All-Star forward believed evolved from a calf strain, Bosh again is dealing with blood clots in the wake of a recent calf strain that kept him out of Sunday’sNBA All-Star Game.
Henry Thomas, Bosh’s agent, told the Sun Sentinel by text message “it is too early” to determine how this episode could affect Bosh going forward.
Based on the most likely course of action, it is unlikely Boshwould be able to return sooner than the typical three-month course of treat-
ment on blood thinners. The NBA regular season endsApril 13, with a threemonth timetable putting the NBA into its third round of playoffs.
The Heat have declined comment, with the team not scheduled to resume practice following their All-Star break until midday Wednesday at AmericanAirlines Arena. The Heat resume their schedule Friday at Philips Arena against the Atlanta Hawks.
The Associated Press is reporting that Bosh has resumed taking blood thinners and has not ruled out a return this season. Medical experts dissuade athletes from competing in contact activity while on suchmedication.
Bosh has been vigilant in his attempts to safeguard against a recurrence, making appearances and tapingcommercials on behalf of Janssen Pharmaceuticals, which markets the blood thinnerprescriptionXarelto.
Bosh has been particularly cautious during lengthy flights, with the Heat having taken several lengthier flights than the one that took him from Miami to Toronto for AllStarWeekend.
As for Andersen, the Heat’s Birdman Era ended with a three-team trade that reduced the Heat’s luxury tax.
In exchange for Andersen and two conditional future second-roundpicks that also were sent to the Grizzlies, the Heat obtained seldom-used backup point guard Brian Roberts from the Charlotte Hornets. In the other portion of the deal, the Hornets sent swingman P.J. Hairston and two secondround picks to the Grizzlies for guard Courtney Lee.
“Chris Andersen was absolutely essential in our 2013 NBA championship run,” Heat President Pat Riley said in a statement. “Wewant to thank him for his contributions and we wish him nothing but the best. He will always be considered part of the Heat family.”
Roberts is expected to slot in as the Heat’s thirdstring point guard, a role Beno Udrih held before moving up behind starting point guard Goran Dragic when guard Tyler Johnson was lost to shoulder surgery. Udrih was acquired earlier in the season from the Grizzlies for point guard Mario Chalmers, in aNovember trade that also reduced the Heat’s liability against the luxury tax.
“Brian Roberts,” Riley said, “has been on our radar and we felt it was important to solidify our point guard position due to the injury of Tyler Johnson. We feel like we did that with the addition of Roberts.”
Johnsonis not expected back until late in the season, if at all in 2015-16.
The difference between the salaries of Andersen and Roberts trims more than $2 million from the Heat’s payroll.
Both Andersen and Roberts are in the final years of their contracts.
Andersen, a fan favorite at AmericanAirlines Arena for his colorful tattoos and personality, joined the Heat in the middle of the 2012-13 season, winning a championship that season alongside LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Bosh.
His role had been lessened inrecent seasons due to injury and the emergence of center Hassan Whiteside and acquisition of power forward Josh McRoberts.
Andersen had appeared in only seven games this season for the Heat, for a total of 36 minutes. Hehad not played since Jan. 13 because of what the Heat had listed as a sore left knee.
Andersen could potentially find minutes with the Grizzlies, who recently lost center Marc Gasol for the season with a foot injury.
Roberts, 30, is a journeyman point guard who has averaged just 11.1 minutes pergamethis season, although he could help upgrade the Heat’s poor 3-point shooting.
Tuesday’s tax savings would amount to roughly $6 million for the Heat when factoring in the luxury-tax multiplier.
The Heat still stand roughly $3.5 million over the luxury-tax line.