Chris Bosh Believes He Can Still Play, Says His Health Is 'Complicated'

Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh, who did not play in the 2016-17 season due to ongoing blood-clotting issues, said he still hopes to play again but acknowledged he's getting used to life without basketball.

“At heart, I’m still an athlete and that is not how I want it to end,” Bosh said on Larry King Now (via Anthony Chiang of the Palm Beach Post). “I do [miss playing]. But a part of me doesn’t. I’ve come to enjoy different aspects of life. There’s a lot of life out there. I mean only because as basketball players – we do that – that’s really it. But I’ve enjoying spending time with my kids. I’ve enjoyed spending time with my wife and just kind of relaxing and working on my mind and my soul.”

Bosh, 33, has not played since the 2015-16 All-Star break. He was forced to sit out the remainder of that season due to the recurrence of blood clots that cost him part of the 2014-15 season. The Heat informed him that he failed a physical and would not be cleared to play by their doctors in September.

While the situation has grown contentious at times—Bosh has repeatedly clamored behind the scenes to be cleared—the former All-Star categorized his health as "complicated." He also seemingly has changed his understanding of Miami's stance on the matter.

“Yeah, I understand what they have to do as a team,” Bosh told King. “It is a business. I know we—as athletes and owners and people involved with the NBA—never want to say it’s a business, and things like that. It’s is a business. And hurt does come in with that. But as president of the Miami Heat, I understand what [Pat Riley] has to do.”

The Heat will pay Bosh $52.1 million over the next two seasons regardless of whether he plays again. They are eligible to apply for salary-cap relief for the remainder of his contract because it was the result of a medical issue. 

Making the matter more complicated is that if Miami releases Bosh and another team signs him, that cap relief could be wiped out entirely. If Bosh plays 25 games next season, the NBA would reapply Bosh's cap hold to the Heat's cap. 

With Miami needing to release Bosh's rights to receive that cap relief, odds are it will happen before free agency kicks off in July. 

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