Heat, Bosh moving forward
Resolution in works on salary cap issues for team
MIAMI — The Miami Heat and Chris Bosh are moving close to resolution that will allow the team to shed Bosh’s salary from its salary cap without concern of that figure returning to its cap, parties familiar with the proceedings confirmed to the Sun Sentinel.
Boshwas sidelined this past seasonwhen he failed a preseason physical, after missing the second half of the previous two seasons due to blood clots. The Heat, NBA and National Basketball Players Association have been working toward a resolution that bridges the collectivea greement that expires June 30 and the one that goes into place July 1.
Under the CBA in place until June 30, if Bosh returns to the league his salary-cap hit could be reinstated to theHeat’s ledger over the remaining term of his contract, which expires after the 2018-19 season. However, under the CBA that goes into place July 1, if amedical panel comes to an agreement that it is no longer considered safe for Bosh to continue his career, thatwould end the risk of Bosh’s cap charge or luxury-tax hit returning to theHeat’s book.
The approach with Bosh, 33, from the league and union apparently is a one-time allocation, since Bosh’s preexisting condition comes amid the transition into new work rules.
With an agreement expected soon, that would allowtheHeat to go into the June 22 NBAdraft with certainly about its cap situation, allowing for transactions in advance of
the new cap calendar that starts July 1.
Bosh is guaranteed his remaining $25.3 million salary for 2017-18 and $26.8 million salary for 2018-19, much of it covered by insurance. The final agreement between Bosh, theNBAand the Players Association will not change that payout.
TheHeat had the right to apply to exclude Bosh’s salary from their salary cap Feb. 9, the one-year anniversary from his last game played.
While the delay prevented theHeat fromutilizing reclaimed cap space either at the Feb. 23 NBA trading deadline or the March 1 buyout deadline, the amicable negotiations allow the Heat to enter the July 1 start of free agency positioned with about $37 million in salary-cap space — and without concern of future salary-cap space being compromised by a possible Bosh return to another team.
Bosh is under the NBAmaximum contract he signed in the 2014 offseason in the immediate wake of LeBron James’ free-agency departure to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Under the working agreement in place until June 30, Bosh’s salary could have been restored to the salary cap in any season he played 25 combined regularand playoff games. By the Heat waiting until afterMarch1to negotiate a resolution, it made Bosh ineligible to appear in the current postseason for another team, removing the longshot risk of Bosh playing this season.
Before training camp, Bosh said he had research proving he could play NBA basketball without creating a dire physical risk, citing NHL players, such as former Florida Panthers wing Tomas Fleischmann, who have played after multiple blood-clot incidents.
“This is nothing that is new. It’s not groundbreaking,” he said at the time. “We’re not reinventing the wheel here. It’s not standard, but it’s been proven.”
He then failed his preseason physical.
In an ensuing video post, Bosh revealed the Heat medical staff told him in February 2016 that they did not expect him to be able to continue his career.
“Seeing the team doctors,” Bosh said in that post, “they told me that my season’s over, my career is probably over and, yeah, this just happens, this is just how it is. I felt right away that Iwas written off.”
Then came a preseason statement from Heat President Pat Riley, in the wake of Bosh’s failed physical, saying the Heat no longer were working toward Bosh’s return. Bosh said that statement did not come with advance notice.
“I didn’t seemy career in Miami ending like this,” Bosh said in an installment of hisRebuilt video series on the Uninterrupted digital network. “I didn’t get a call or a text or anything like that. I mean, it’s a business. We understand that. We always say those things. But if you say certain things to the person and you win championships and you have these moments, you don’t want to find things out through the media.”
Riley, had, in fact, reached out directly to Bosh in advance of Bosh posting that message.
Since those video posts, Bosh’s Heat teammates have spoken of a player more at peace with his situation, whether that involves NBA basketball or not.
“What he had to go through I’m sure was a shock and I’m still praying that he has the chance to come out and finish and play the game he loves and end it the right way,” Heat captainUdonisHaslem told the Sun Sentinel earlier this month.
Haslem said Bosh’s NBA future has not been a topic of their recent discussions.
“Not really,” he said. “If he brings it up then we could talk about it, but then I’m not going to bring it up.”
Riley hinted at the close of the season, after theHeat finished 41-41 and failed to make the playoffs for the second time in the three series Bosh has been sidelined, that the parties were working toward the type of resolution that apparently nowis at hand.
“Look,” Riley said, “there isn’t anybody in this organization that feels worse for C.B. than I do. It got a little sideways at the end because of feelings and things of that nature.
“I think in due time it will run its course and take care of itself.”
Bosh’s cap space is critical to aHeatmakeover necessary after James left the Heat in 2014, Wade departed last summer and Bosh remained in limbo. The Heat, with what appears to be this impending resolution, would be able to spend Bosh’s cap space without concern of salarycap or luxury-tax ramifications.
“There has been conversations with the organization andwith Chris personally,” Riley said last month. “I’ll leave that at that.”