Chris Bosh Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Bosh, Baynes, Marks

August 10th, 2016 at 5:41pm CST by Eddie Scarito

It remains to be seen if Chris Bosh will be medically cleared to play for the Heat this season, but according to his teammates, the forward remains anxious to make his return to the court, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel relays. “Yeah, of course,” Tyler Johnson said regarding Bosh’s desire to suit up. “I mean, he was sitting out the same amount of time I was. I remember he was eager to get back last year. So we had those talks a lot last year. So I can only assume that he’s kind of itching to get back and play in actual games.”

Johnson also noted that the team will need to change its style from previous seasons, given all the new faces on the roster, Winderman adds. “We had a lot of veterans who had a lot of playoff experience, guys who had won multiple championships on the team,” Johnson said. “So, yeah, it’s definitely a big-time turnover in that aspect. But you can’t really doubt people who come in the gym to get better every day. So I think we’re going to have change our playing style just a little bit from where we were last year. But I’m excited for it.”

Here’s more from the East:

In his look at how Nets GM Sean Marks has altered the franchise’s approach, Miles Wray of RealGM noted that the executive has placed higher value on veterans, intends to allow head coach Kenny Atkinson to lead the rebuilding program and is focusing on landing restricted free agents.
The Sixers progress this season shouldn’t be measured by whether or not the team makes the playoffs or how many additional wins the squad racks up, but on how much the young roster’s play improves over the course of the campaign, writes Bob Cooney of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The scribe notes that an improvement of 29 wins over 2015/16 would likely be need to snag a spot in the postseason this season.
The Pistons signed Boban Marjanovic this offseason with the expectation that Aron Baynes would opt out of his deal for 2017/18 in order to land a more lucrative contract elsewhere, Keith Langlois of NBA.com writes in response to a reader question asking the likelihood the big man would remain in Detroit beyond this season.

Latest On Chris Bosh

July 24th, 2016 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Chris Bosh believes he should be medically cleared to play and may take the issue to the players union, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Bosh, who has been sidelined with blood clot issues the past two seasons, had considered filing a grievance against the Heat during the playoffs, but eventually relented.

Miami officials are concerned that Bosh may be risking serious injury or worse by playing while on blood thinners. Doctors are debating whether he should stop taking the medication during the summer, but Bosh believes he can safely play while on a new drug that would be out of his system after 8 to 12 hours.

Miami-based doctor Robert Myerburg of UHealth told Jackson that he is skeptical of that plan, but said the two blood-clot incidents don’t mean Bosh will need the medication for the rest of his life.

“The debate in the medical community is because he’s on, should he be on permanent [blood thinners]? That’s a tough call,” Myerburg said. “The data just isn’t there to say he absolutely should or shouldn’t. It becomes a judgment issue. So if there is no predisposing factors other than trauma induced, that’s a judgment issue about whether to play.”

Myerburg suggested taking Bosh off blood thinners and using a smaller, temporary regimen if he experiences trauma after that. Bosh said last year that he doesn’t possess a gene that makes him predisposed to repeated clotting.

Heat president Pat Riley said at a recent press conference that the team is searching for ways to help Bosh get back on the court and will wait until August or September before making a decision on his status.

Some of Bosh’s representatives believe the Heat have financial reasons for not wanting Bosh to return. If he sits out the entire 2016/17 season, Miami can clear his salary for the following two seasons off its books, saving $25.2MM in 2017/18 and $26.8MM in 2018/19. The Heat insist that isn’t true, and say they will welcome Bosh back if he gets medical approval.

Teams are not permitted to remove a player from their cap until a year after his final game. Right now, that date would be Feb. 9, 2017, but if Bosh attempts a comeback next season, that time frame would be moved forward. If Bosh is taken off the cap, he would never be permitted to play for the Heat again.

Southeast Notes: Winslow, Howard, Bazemore

July 17th, 2016 at 11:42am CST by Arthur Hill

Pat Riley anointed Justise Winslow as the Heat’s starting small forward for next season, but he hasn’t addressed the larger question of power forward, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel. Riley expressed his confidence in Winslow during a news conference Saturday, saying the rookie will be penciled in as the starting three for 2016/17. But if Chris Bosh isn’t medically cleared to play, that leaves Josh McRoberts, Luke Babbitt and Udonis Haslem as candidates to start alongside Winslow and Hassan Whiteside on the front line. Riley said even though Winslow is only 20, he’s ready to be an NBA starter. “I remember when James Worthy came to the Lakers and Jamaal Wilkes was incumbent,” Riley said, “and then there came that time, there came that time when it was just a matter of time when James Worthy was going to take his position.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Dwight Howard hopes his return home to Atlanta will revitalize his career, according to Steve Hummer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The 30-year-old center, who signed a three-year deal worth $70.5MM with the Hawks, has even changed his number to 8 to signify “a new beginning.” Howard insists that his back, which required surgery in 2012, is no longer a problem. “My back hasn’t been an issue,” he said, “and I don’t think I’ll ever have an issue out of my back for the rest of my career.”
Kent Bazemore‘s comments at the press conference after he re-signed with the Hawks showed how much he wanted to stay in Atlanta, relays K.L. Chouinard of NBA.com. Bazemore, who landed a four-year, $70MM contract in free agency, said it was important to remain with the team he joined two seasons ago. “This is one of the high points of my life,” he said, “and I couldn’t choose a better place to be. I said I wasn’t going to get emotional, but I just love it here, you know. People have just embraced me and it just feels like home, man.”
It’s hard to understand why the Wizards re-signed Marcus Thornton so early in free agency, writes Ben Standig of CSNMidAtlantic. Thornton, who received a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum, projects as a fifth guard, Standig contends, adding that it’s unusual for teams to fill roster spots with those type of players before Summer League begins.

Heat’s Riley: ‘Great Regret’ Over Losing Wade

July 16th, 2016 at 12:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

During a news conference today in Miami, Heat president Pat Riley expressed his sorrow over losing free agent Dwyane Wade to the Bulls and said he should have done more to prevent it. “I have great regret I didn’t put myself in the middle of it,” Riley said in a quote relayed by Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel (Twitter link).

Wade officially signed with Chicago on Friday after reportedly being unhappy with the offers he was getting out of Miami. Riley says he wishes he had taken a more active role in the negotiations, adding that he should have “gotten in a canoe and paddled to The Mediterranean” if it meant keeping Wade, tweets Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post.

Riley said he had been trying to get “another guy” to pair with Wade since LeBron James returned to Cleveland in 2014 (Twitter link). He added that he hadn’t spoken to Wade since his decision, but has been putting together a long e-mail for him (Twitter link).

Wade, a 12-time All-Star, had been with the Heat since they drafted him in 2003. He is the franchise’s leader in career points, assists and several other categories.

“It’s not going to be the same without [Wade] but we will forge ahead,” Riley said. “Dwyane is unique. There will always be a key under the mat [for Dwyane], I just hope it doesn’t get too rusty. We will miss him.” (Twitter links).

Riley touched on several other topics during the news conference:

Any decision on Chris Bosh’s future is “on hold” until August or September, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Bosh, who didn’t play after blood clots were discovered in his left calf during the All-Star break, would like to return next season, but the Heat aren’t sure if it’s medically feasible. Riley said the team is considering a restricted travel schedule or limited workload to help Bosh get back on the court (Twitter link). “I know Chris wants to play, and we would be open to that,” Riley said “But this is still fluid. There’s not an answer.” (Twitter link).
Riley believes Justise Winslow is ready to be Miami’s starting small forward after a promising rookie season. “Are we ready for Justise Winslow to start at the 3,” Riley asked. “I am.” (Twitter link). The Heat lost last year’s starter when Luol Deng signed with the Lakers.
The Heat offered a more balanced contract to Tyler Johnson than the deal he signed with the Nets, but Johnson insisted on taking the offer sheet from Brooklyn (Twitter link). That contract, which the Heat matched on Sunday, pays Johnson $5.628MM in the first year and $5,881,260 in the second, followed by $18,858,765 in season three and $19,631,975 in season four.
Kevin Durant, who chose Miami as one of the five teams he met with in free agency, told Riley that he wants to win right away and viewed the Heat as being in a rebuilding phase (Twitter link). “I’ll never not take an offer from a free agent who calls and says we’d like to talk to you,” Riley said. “We had to do it, it didn’t slow us down.” (Twitter links).
Riley is working toward a contract extension with head coach Erik Spoelstra and his staff (Twitter link).
The Heat don’t plan to use their $2.9MM room exception this offseason. (Twitter link).

Heat Re-Sign Udonis Haslem

July 10th, 2016 at 3:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

3:37pm: The two sides have agreed on a one-year deal worth $4MM, Ethan J. Skolnick of the Miami Herald tweets.

8:39am: Udonis Haslem is finalizing a deal to stay in Miami for his 14th season, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. The veteran power forward has been in negotiations with the Heat this week and is hoping to receive a contract for something more than the veteran’s minimum.

Haslem, 36, has been with the franchise since 2003, but has seen his playing time drop steadily in recent years. He appeared in 37 games with Miami this season, averaging 1.6 points and 1.8 rebounds in 7.0 minutes of action. Team president Pat Riley recently singled out Haslem for becoming a mentor with younger players and said he would like to keep him for another season.

The Heat may need Haslem on the court more often next season if Chris Bosh‘s availability remains limited by health issues. Another veteran big man, Amar’e Stoudemire, is also a free agent and may not return to Miami.

Heat Notes: Johnson, Wade, Haslem, McRoberts

July 3rd, 2016 at 9:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The poison-pill contract that the Nets offered to Tyler Johnson will be difficult for Miami to match, writes Manny Navarro of The Miami Herald. Johnson will receive $50MM over for years, but the deal is heavily backloaded so that most of the money comes in the third and fourth seasons. The payout is $5.628MM in the first season and $5,881,260 in the second, followed by $18,858,765 in season three and $19,631,975 in season four. The Heat already have $70.3MM committed for the 2018/19 season among Chris Bosh, Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic. Miami will also need cap space in those years to keep Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson. Heat officials will have three days to make their decision once Johnson signs his deal with Brooklyn, but Whiteside and Richardson have already posted farewell messages on social media (Twitter links).

There’s more tonight out of Miami:

The Bucks will meet with Dwyane Wade sometime after the Fourth of July, tweets ESPN’s Marc Stein. Wade began looking at other teams after being unhappy with Miami’s initial contract offer. Milwaukee doesn’t have room to sign Wade to the deal he wants, but it could if it finds a taker for Greg Monroe (Twitter link).
If the Heat give approximately $20MM to Wade and don’t land Kevin Durant, they will have to fill the roster with a $2.9MM room exception and minimum contracts, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Most of the room exception may be needed to re-sign Udonis Haslem. Miami hasn’t pursued Gerald Green since free agency began, but he could become an option if there’s nobody better at a minimum salary. The team appears to have no interest in bringing back Dorell Wright.
Miami may want to think twice about sacrificing Josh McRoberts for cap room, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The Heat may have to move his nearly $5.8MM salary for 2016/17 to create enough cap space to meet Wade’s demands, but if they keep the veteran big man, he might be the starter at power forward next season if Bosh isn’t healthy.

Southeast Notes: Brown, Robinson, Kidd-Gilchrist

June 11th, 2016 at 4:07pm CST by Arthur Hill

Former Nets interim coach Tony Brown will be Scott Brooks‘ lead assistant with the Wizards, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Sources tell Wojnarowski the deal is currently being finalized. Brown had an 11-34 record in Brooklyn after taking over for the fired Lionel Hollins in January. The Nets parted ways with him when they hired Kenny Atkinson shortly after the regular season ended. Brown started his coaching career as an as assistant with the Trail Blazers during the 1997/98 season and has also worked for the Pistons, Raptors, Celtics, Bucks, Clippers and Mavericks. Toronto assistant Rex Kalamian turned down an offer from the Wizards last week.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Thomas Robinson, who opted out of his contract with the Nets this week, could be a nice fit with the Wizards, according to Ben Standig of CSNMidAtlantic. The 6’10” power forward, who has been with five teams in his four-year NBA career, was born in Washington, D.C., and could be a low-cost option for a team in need of size. Marcin Gortat and Markieff Morris are the only two Wizards’ big men with guaranteed contracts for 2016/17. Robinson averaged 4.3 points and 5.1 rebounds in 71 games last season. He will be a restricted free agent after opting out of a deal worth $1,050,961.
The Hornets‘ Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is focused on training camp after twice tearing the labrum in his right shoulder and missing nearly all of the 2015/16 season, writes Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Kidd-Gilchrist, who was limited to seven games during the year, was recently cleared for on-court activities and vows to be healthy when training camp begins. “I’m shooting, I’m lifting, I’m running,” he said. “I’ll be ready for next season.” The Hornets have him under contract for four more years.
Dwyane Wade and Josh Richardson are the only Heat players who will definitely be on the roster next season, contends Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel. Tyler Johnson is probably third on that list, Winderman writes, unless someone offers him huge money in free agency. Among the rest of the roster, Goran Dragic could be dealt to open cap space, Chris Bosh has ongoing health problems and Justise Winslow and Josh McRoberts could be trade pieces. Everyone else is either a free agent or has a contract that isn’t fully guaranteed.

Bosh, Heat Clashed Over Blood Thinners

May 29th, 2016 at 5:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

Chris Bosh suggested a way that he could play this year while taking blood thinners, but the Heat rejected it, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Bosh, who was sidelined from the All-Star break through the end of the season after doctors discovered blood clots in his calf, wanted to take the medication early in the day so it would be out of his bloodstream by game time.

A source told Jackson that the substance left Bosh’s body 8 to 12 hours after he took it, but Heat doctors weren’t convinced the plan was safe and the team turned down the idea. Blood thinners are considered dangerous for athletes because they can lead to excessive bleeding if a player gets cut or can cause internal bleeding if he’s involved in a hard fall or collision.

U-Health cardiologist Robert Myerburg said some newly introduced blood thinners can exit the body in 12 hours or less, but he told Jackson he doesn’t believe it would have been safe for Bosh to play. “I would not use that strategy,” Myerburg said. “There’s too much at risk. The drug being out of the system is not what worries me as much as the unprotected time,” especially if an area with past clotting is subjected to trauma. None of the doctors involved with Bosh or the Heat has commented publicly.

Bosh has three years and close to $76MM left on the maximum deal he signed in 2014. There have been reports that the Heat fear Bosh will never be medically cleared to play again, but Jackson writes that both he and the team are optimistic about a return next season.

Heat Notes: Durant, Whiteside, McRoberts, Johnson

May 22nd, 2016 at 6:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat are treating Kevin Durant like a long shot and concentrating their free agency efforts on keeping Hassan Whiteside, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Miami intends to make an offer to Durant, but Jackson says the team’s intentions were clear when president Pat Riley called Whiteside the priority this week.

Miami might have a better shot at signing an outside free agent next summer, Jackson writes, even if Whiteside returns at a max or near-max contract. Dwyane Wade can free up some money if he agrees to another one-year contract or a two-year deal with an opt out after one season. Even if Chris Bosh is able to keep playing and his $25.3MM counts against the Heat’s cap, the franchise could have about $26MM to use next summer, possibly closer to $32MM if it can find a taker for Josh McRoberts. That would be enough to re-sign Wade and add a player such as Zach Randolph, Rudy Gay, Danilo Gallinari, Taj Gibson, Andre Iguodala, Tony Allen or J.J. Redick.

There’s more out of Miami:

The Heat will gauge the trade market for McRoberts, but the front office recognizes his value in case Bosh can’t play, Jackson writes in the same story. Miami might prefer to keep Luol Deng, who filled in for Bosh this season, but the offers he will get in free agency might be more than Miami can afford. “When you watch players play with [McRoberts], who know how to play with him, they’re very effective,” Riley said. “… We’re still high on him. We’re praying all the time he stays healthy.”
Joe Johnson may not stay with the Heat if he wants a quick decision in free agency, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Winderman expects many variables to play out, including whether coach Erik Spoelstra wants to make Justise Winslow his starting small forward. If that happens, the Heat would prefer to add another shooter to the starting lineup, a role Bosh can fill if he’s healthy. The Heat may want to fill their salary cap with other players first and then offer Johnson its $2.9MM “room” mid-level exception. However, he could get a better offer from another team before that happens.
After passing on Devin Booker to draft Winslow last year, the Heat need to concentrate on finding shooters this summer, Winderman contends in a separate piece. Their 7-for-25 performance from 3-point range in Game 7 against the Raptors underlined the need for improvement, but Spoestra said the team won’t be searching for just one skill. “Teams are built differently; teams can win in different ways,” he said. “… The most important thing is finding the best fits around the players you currently have, and can players bring out the best in each other?”

Heat Notes: Bosh, Dragic, Wade, Deng

May 20th, 2016 at 9:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat are expecting Chris Bosh to be available next season, according to Dan Le Batard of ESPN. The 13-year veteran hasn’t played since the All-Star break when doctors discovered blood clots in his left calf, but Le Batard said on his radio show that both sides are optimistic. “I just got a text saying that Bosh should be able to play next season,” the host said. “So the Heat expect Bosh to be able to play next season. … What I’m telling you is that Bosh is committed to getting back, and the Heat are hopeful that that can be so.” Dan Feldman of NBCSports.com notes that the text came after Le Batard talked about the possibility of Bosh being forced into retirement, so Feldman speculates it came from someone with inside knowledge of the situation.

There’s more news out of Miami:

The Heat are limited in making deals for draft picks because they have used all their tradable cash for this season, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Not only can they not buy a pick, but Winderman points out that 60 percent of their roster is headed toward free agency, so none of those players can be traded. He says Miami’s best shot is to find a team that is interested in trading a pick for Josh McRoberts and that has the cap space or exception to fit him on its roster. McRoberts will make $5,782,450 next season.
Goran Dragic says Heat players will try to convince free agent center Hassan Whiteside to stay in Miami, tweets Jason Lieser of The Palm Beach Post. “We all want him here,” Dragic said. .. “Hopefully he sees that.”
Dwyane Wade is hoping for a “quick and easy” experience in free agency this summer, Lieser tweets. Wade, who signed a one-year, $20MM deal last offseason, said he wants a “smooth” negotiating process.
With only about $40MM to spend and Whiteside and Wade as top priorities, the Heat may not be able to afford free agent combo forward Luol Deng, writes Manny Navarro of The Miami Herald. At a little more than $10.15MM, Deng turned out to be a bargain for Miami as he assumed a greater role after Bosh was sidelined. “Going forward obviously I would love to be here,” Deng said. “It’s something that we will sit down and discuss. I can’t really say one bad thing about being here. I enjoyed my time. The one thing that I know about here is that it’s an organization that wants to win and an organization that will support the players and what they do, whether it’s on the court or off the court.”