The Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers could be the likely destinations for Chris Bosh should the 10-time All-Star intends to pursue playing following his bitter breakup with the Miami Heat.
Miami Heat president Pat Riley announced on Monday that he believes Chris Bosh's career with the franchise is over after the 32-year-old failed his preseason physical last week. Bosh, who helped the Heat win two NBA championships in his six seasons with the team, averaged 19.1 points and 7.4 rebounds for the Heat last season before being sidelined due to a clot.
"We are not [working toward Bosh's return]," Riley said, reports Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "I think Chris is still open-minded. But we are not working toward his return. We feel that, based on the last exam, that his Heat career is probably over."
In February 2015, Bosh was hospitalized after a life-threatening blood cut traveled to his lungs, which had forced him to play only 44 games for the Heat. The following year, Bosh was also forced to skip the remainder of the season after being diagnosed with a blood clot in his leg last February. But despite the Heat's unwillingness to take such risk, Bosh remains determined to get back on the court and compete, expressing disagreement on the team's verdict about his playing condition.
"Seeing the team doctors, they told me that my season is over, my career is probably over and this just happens, this is just how it is," Bosh told UNINTERRUPTED via Bleacher Report.
"I felt right away that I was written off. It was [claps hands together] put it to the side matter-of-factly. If a doctor tells me, 'Hey that's it and this is how that is,' and I don't buy that. I have the right to disagree with you."
If Bosh strongly considers making a comeback this season, two of the possible teams he could play for are the Bulls and Cavs, where Dwyane Wade and Lebron James, two of his former teammates and close friends, currently play, respectively.
The Bulls were able to retool this summer luring Wade for a homecoming, while adding All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo. The team's summer acquisitions should help them win more games, but without depth at the frontcourt, it would be difficult for the Bulls to maneuver on that route.
Adding Bosh would give the Bulls a prolific scorer who can be a threat inside and outside the paint. After LeBron James left the Heat a few years ago, Wade and Bosh had some quality time together running the show in South Beach, which provides the Bulls instant chemistry if they pursue Bosh.
But if Bosh would like to join a team that has a better shot at winning a title, the Cavs is the perfect destination for the 13-year veteran.
The Cavs may not admit it, but they may need to bolster their lineup to catch up with the Warriors and other improved teams in the league. Bringing in Bosh gives the Cavs another star who can play well alongside James, forming a new set of Big Three in Cleveland.
However, all of these scenarios would only be intriguing if Bosh could remain healthy all throughout the season. Nevertheless, it is expected that Bosh would continue to attempt a comeback and the Bulls and Cavs are the favorites to host it.
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