Miami Heat forward/center Chris Bosh is now the subject of NBA trade rumors involving the New York Knicks, as Bosh continues to work on his health issues, and the Knicks continue to build a roster they hope will be able to compete with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
According to the Christian Daily, Knicks team president Phil Jackson has his eye on the 32-year-old Bosh as a potential trade target. Adding a healthy Chris Bosh would be a plus for virtually any NBA team, but first, Bosh must get past the health problems he has struggled with for the last two years.
Chris Bosh was first diagnosed with blood clots after the 2015 NBA All-Star Game. The blood clots started in Bosh’s calf, but moved to one of his lungs, causing him to miss the remainder of the 2014-15 season. The Heat thought Bosh would make a full recovery, and things looked good as the 2015-16 campaign got underway. However, the condition returned late in the season, and Bosh missed the last 29 games of the regular season and the 2016 NBA Playoffs as a result.
The situation became more complicated when Bosh’s medical treatment included blood thinners, as detailed by Sports Illustrated. Bosh wanted to play, but the team wouldn’t take that risk since playing professional basketball and taking blood thinners could lead to serious injury, or even death. The Miami Heat organization does not want to take any undue chances with Bosh — he is part of the Heat “family,” but on a more practical level, they could also be held liable if anything bad happens to Bosh on the basketball floor while taking medically prescribed blood thinners.
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No one is quite sure if Chris Bosh will be ready to play when the 2016-17 season opens, but there is some evidence that he may be on the court in the near future. Miami Heat owner Micky Arison recently released a letter to fans that mentioned Chris Bosh prominently in the team’s plans for next season. It has also been reported by ESPN Radio that Bosh has found at least one doctor who feels he can return to the NBA, and Bosh is using that as leverage in an effort to convince the Heat to let him continue his basketball career.
If Chris Bosh is able to overcome his health issues and resume his career in the NBA, the next hurdle to clear will be whether Miami will allow him to play, or try to trade him to another team. Regarding the New York Knicks’ rumored interest in Bosh, one only has to look at their assets to determine if a deal for Bosh is possible.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=7ANbZOswo54
Due to various league rules related to the salary cap and newly-signed players who cannot be traded, there are only two players on New York’s roster who can be dealt for Chris Bosh: Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose. Both teams are over the cap, and Bosh is scheduled to make $23.7 million next season. The Knicks don’t even have a group of lower-paid players they could include in a trade package for Bosh, so the bottom line is that a trade between New York and Miami for Chris Bosh is nearly impossible at this time.
Based on his huge salary and questionable health, it certainly seems that if Chris Bosh plays in the NBA again, it will probably be with the Miami Heat. Trading Bosh to any team this summer, including the New York Knicks, would be highly unlikely.
Many NBA trade rumors that circulate around the league make some sense for the teams and players being mentioned, but some simply do not. The Miami Heat shipping Chris Bosh to the New York Knicks might be something one or both teams would be interested in, but the combination of salaries and assets are just not there for a deal like this to happen.
[Photo by Lynne Sladky/AP Images]