Why Miami Heat Success Without Chris Bosh Will Lead to Trade Rumors

Chris Bosh is out indefinitely with a strained abdominal muscle, essentially binding him to a no-win situation.

If the Miami Heat fail to win a title, or worse, without Bosh, he becomes the missing link. Subsequently, his place within the rotation, the franchise and all of South Beach would be set in stone.

That said, if the Heat fail miserably without Bosh, the power forward's team has, well, failed. And as a devoted teammate, that's a loss.

But let's say Miami does incredibly well for itself without their injured big. Let's, for the sake of the argument and LeBron James' third MVP award, say that Heat wind up not only reaching the NBA Finals, but winning it all—without Bosh. What then?

Trade rumors—specifically, Bosh-related trade rumors.

If the Heat experience any kind of success without Bosh, his standing within the organization will be scrutinized to no end, and he'll find himself trapped in the realm of trade rumor central.

It's not unfounded to buy into such a notion. If Miami is able to win a title without Bosh, what's the point of paying him a boatload of money when the franchise came up ringless last year with him?

It's obviously more complicated than that, but at the same time, the money being used on him could be spent on plugging an array of other holes, and not just the one that didn't prevent a championship push.

The same arguably holds true should the Heat merely reach the finals.

At that point, Miami finds itself in the same exact position it did last year, only without Bosh. And by sheer logic, the debate as to whether the power forward is even a significant difference maker would ensue shortly thereafter, followed by—you guessed it—a bounty of trade rumors.

Should the Heat fare any better in the postseason without Bosh—any better at all—his tenure in Miami will instantly become uncertain.

The Heat have needed a strong presence in the low post all season, and any success achieved with him on the sidelines only furthers the argument that he isn't a part of the solution.

Is Bosh a lock to be dealt after this season if Miami impresses down the stretch without him?

Of course not, but it's more than safe to acknowledge that his departure will at least become a topic of conversation, joining the ranks of Dwight Howard and Josh Smith, among others.

And if the NBA has taught us anything, specifically Howard, it's that sometimes the whirlwind of rumors are worse than reality of the trade itself.

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