Chris Bosh’s Miami Heat career is “probably over,” according to Heat president Pat Riley.
Riley told reporters this morning that the Heat is not taking any actions to facilitate Bosh’s return after he failed a physical late last week. The Heat said then that Bosh, 32, would not be allowed to participate in any facet of training camp or the preseason based on his inability to pass that physical.
Riley didn’t go so far as calling Bosh’s career over, telling reporters “that’s up to him.”
But it doesn’t appear that Bosh has any future playing in a Heat uniform.
After the news broke of his failed physical Bosh responded with a videotaped message. He called the failed physical “a down moment right now” and pledged to keep fighting to make a return to regular activity.
“Just because the journey has ups and downs doesn’t mean I will stop sharing with you guys,” Bosh said. “So I will just continue to share despite what’s going on.”
An 11-time All-Star, Bosh has dealt with blood clots twice, in February of 2015 and this past February. The first time the blood clots formed in his legs, traveled to his lungs and required hi being hospitalized for a brief period of time and thus ended his season early. He returned at the start of the 2015-16 season and was averaging 19 points per game, only to have a recurrence of the blood clots in February that resulted in his season ending after just 53 games.
Bosh has been adamant about making his return to action while the Heat have consistently pushed back on such talk, Riley’s comments today being the most definitive. The Heat are scheduled to leave for training camp in the Bahamas today and Riley told reporters that Bosh will not make that trip.
Bosh is the last member of the Heat Big 3 that helped the franchise to four straight trips to The Finals, winning titles in 2012 and 2013. LeBron James left for Cleveland two years ago and Dwyane Wade exited in free agency for Chicago this summer.
Sekou Smith is a staff writer for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter.
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