Chris Bosh Reportedly Not Returning To Miami Heat

On Monday, Miami Heat president Pat Riley stated that he believes that Chris Bosh’s days with the team are over.

Riley told Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, “We are not [working towards Bosh’s return].” He continued, “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.”

The franchise announced on Friday that Bosh had failed his preseason physical and that he would not be cleared to return to the court at the moment. Riley and the team did not disclose as to why Bosh didn’t pass the medical examination citing confidentiality.

For the second straight year, the 11-time All-Star’s season was ended early due to injury. He was diagnosed with a blood clot in his leg last February that forced him to watch from the bench the rest of the year, according to Bleacher Report. Also, in February of 2015, Bosh was hospitalized after a potentially life-threatening blood clot traveled to his lungs.

For months now, Bosh and the team have had differences in opinion on how to handle his prognosis. During the 2016 playoffs, Bosh attempted to convince the team to allow him to play while he was on blood thinners but he was denied. The Heat staff and Bosh’s doctors have been exploring the possibility of the power forward continuing his career while on the medication, but no clear path forward has been chosen.

During his segment on the UNINTERRUPTED documentary series, Bosh explained that he did not think that his career was over and that he disagreed with the Heat doctors.

“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 recalled. “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.”

Bosh wrote on social media, “Setbacks may happen, but my intentions remain the same. Thank you all for the warm wishes and support.”

In the event that the Heat release Bosh and he is unable to play, the team can petition the NBA to remove $75 million from the salary cap that will be remaining from his contract over the next three years. However, Bosh would still get paid.

In the event that the Heat release Bosh and he is able to play, the savings for the Heat will be accelerated onto Miami’s salary cap. The team would potentially be prevented from any big ticket free-agent acquisitions. Also, the team would lose one of their All-Star players and get nothing in return.

Do you think the Miami Heat should let Chris Bosh go?

[H/T Bleacher Report]