NEWS OF THE MORNING
Bosh ramps up workouts | Report: Pelicans work out Stephenson | Warriors ‘expect a lot’ from Durant on defense
No. 1: Bosh ramps up workouts in hopes of return to court — The offseason departure of Dwyane Wade via free agency has left a vacancy not only in the lineup, but in determining who the figurehead of the team is going forward. Is it newly re-signed center Hassan Whiteside? Perhaps up-and-coming swingmen Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson? Or, perhaps, is it All-Star big man Chris Bosh, who hasn’t suited up for the Heat since Feb. 9 but remains one of the best in the league at his position? In a series of videos posted to social media, Bosh is out to show he’s on his way back from the health scares that sidelined him for the latter half of 2015-16. Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel has more:
In the clearest indication in months of his desire and intention to return to the court this season, Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh on Monday posted videos on his Snapchat that showed him going through drill work on a court in a gym, with his wife posting on social media that her husband will be back on the court this season.
“I know I’ve been gone for a moment, but now I’m back,” Bosh said on one of his videos. “Everybody is always asking me am I hooping? Yes, I’m hooping. Absolutely. I’m a hooper.”
Bosh has missed the second half of the past two seasons due to blood clots. While teammates have been expecting a return, neither Bosh nor the Heat have definitively addressed the possibility.
Bosh’s videos Monday included shooting mid-range jumpers after running in from near the sideline and dribbling drills that finished with stepping into 3-point shots.
Of his ballhandling work, Bosh added a caption on his Snapchat of, “I got it on a string.”
Bosh’s wife, Adrienne, posted on her Instagram that the Monday session was part of an ongoing process and that her husband would be back with the Heat this season.
“I’ve been watching my husband for over a month working day in and day out and happy to see him giving a glimpse of that hard work to the world on his Snapchat,” she posted on Instagram.
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Bosh’s work Monday was similar to his court work during last season’s playoffs, when a mutual agreement was reached for Bosh to remain sidelined, with a statement that read, “The Heat, Chris, the doctors and medical team have been working together throughout this process and will continue to do so to return Chris to playing basketball as soon as possible.”
The outside concern with Bosh has been the ability to play in contact situations due to the need for blood thinners for such repeat incidents of blood clotting.
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Many of Bosh’s teammates having been working out at AmericanAirlines Arena, with the Heat to open their training camp on Sept. 27, with their first preseason game a week later.
Neither the Heat nor Bosh’s agent have responded to queries for updates on Bosh’s status for the coming season.
Asked last month when an update about Bosh might be forthcoming, Heat President Pat Riley said, “I think we should just wait ’til August, September. I think we’ll have a lot more information then.”
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Bosh remains under contract to the Heat for three seasons, including at a team-high $23.7 million the upcoming season. The only way the Heat could realize long-term salary-cap relief would be for Bosh to go a calendar year without a regular-season appearance since his last game on Feb. 9, which would then open the door for the Heat to petition the NBA for cap relief, with Bosh receiving his full remaining salary.
The Heat could use Bosh’s veteran presence after an offseason that saw the team lose Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng and Joe Johnson in free agency. The Heat otherwise are expected to feature a rotation of mostly young players beyond veteran point guard Goran Dragic.
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