When it comes to the Miami Heat's impending parting with Chris Bosh, a majority of league executives polled by NBA.com said they believed it would be difficult to find a doctor to clear the former All-Star power forward for a return.
Polled by veteran NBA journalist and TNT sideline reporter David Aldridge, the executives spoke of interest in Bosh's skill set but also concerns about the blood clots that have sidelined him for all or parts of the past three seasons.
Bosh missed all of this past season after failing his preseason team physical. The Heat, working with Bosh, the NBA and the players' association, have moved toward an agreement that would clear Bosh's salary-cap space from the team's books while assuring Bosh the full balance of the remaining two seasons on his contract.
A Western Conference executive quoted anonymously in the NBA.com report pointed to the amount paid to Bosh while sidelined, at a time the Heat could have used a player of his skill set, missing the playoffs in two of the three seasons since the onset of Bosh's blood clots.
"Miami had about $50 million reasons for him to play and could not get a doctor to clear him," the unidentified executive said. "Very unlikely the answer will be different at a team with $0 million reasons for him to play."
Bosh, who turned 33 in March, has spoken of a possible desire to return, but also has spoken of moving on with his life. He remains close to several current and former Heat teammates, attending a concert in California this past weekend with Dwyane Wade and their wives.
The position of Miami Heat President Pat Riley and the team has been, since the failed preseason physical, that Bosh is no longer able to return to NBA basketball because of his health.
"I don't see how medical people will want to sign off and clear him," a Western executive said in the piece posted at NBA.com. "Unless something has changed with his health recently ... I don't know of a team that would want to take that type of a risk. If something were to tragically happen, it's hard to recover from that. Very unfortunate."
