Miami Heat

Miami Heat Confirm Chris Bosh Failed Most Recent Physical, Not Cleared to Practice

Chris Bosh’s future with the Miami Heat – and as a professional basketball player in general – could now be even more in question after a report that medical tests show he’s not cleared when it comes to blood clots.

Bosh had high hopes for a comeback, and those hopes were crushed Friday. The Miami Heat announced Bosh failed his physical exam.

"Is Chris Bosh's Heat career over, I think this unfortunately is a step in that direction," said Ira Winderman, Sun-Sentinel Heat reporter.

As Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel explains it, the Heat seemed ready to accommodate Bosh's wish to play on a mixed regimen of on-again, off-again blood thinners, but not any more. Miami Herald reporter Barry Jackson broke the story and spoke on the "Big O Show" today, saying the Heat were ready for Bosh to come back.

"However they found a serious red flag in the tests this week, they found evidence of more blood clotting in his system, they believe it's related to his first two clots but there is some evidence of some new clotting as well," Jackson said.

Dr. Wayne Pollak has not examined Bosh, but as an expert in deep vein thrombosis, he says Bosh's doctors must have told him with new clots, it's not safe to be off blood thinners at all, and he can't play on the medication.

"He has, I'm sure, a full understanding of what the consequences would be for not being on a blood thinner but obviously there are many people looking out for him because death is a possibility or a major complication from a new blood clot," Dr. Pollak said.

Orlando Alzugaray, WQAM radio host, said: "I think it's a sad reality and i think bosh needs to face that sad reality. Bosh doesn't want to get off the court, but I think the Miami Heat needs to protect Chris Bosh from Chris Bosh."

So the last of the Big Three will likely never play for the Heat or any other NBA team again- a sad day for Heat Nation.

"And when you look at this, from Lebron James leaving two years ago, Dwyane Wade leaving this summer, and now this news about Chris Bosh, the Big Three era very much appears to be over and the Miami Heat very much appear to be a team rebuilding, trying to find their way again," Ira Winderman said.

The Miami Heat released a statement shortly after confirming Bosh failed his most recent physical:

"The Miami Heat and Chris Bosh, in consultation with team doctors and other physicians, have been working together for many months with the mutual goal of having Chris return to the court as soon as possible. Chris has now taken his pre-season physical. The Miami HEAT regret that it remains unable to clear Chris to return to basketball activities, and there is no timetable for his return."

The complication is not considered life threatening with proper medication, but makes playing in the NBA virtually unrealistic.

During an online interview earlier this week, Bosh said he plans to play this coming season and would join the team at training camp next week. The Heat had said previously Bosh could come to camp but could not practice since he still wasn't medically cleared.

Bosh said that Heat team doctors told him following the second clot, which was found in his calf this past February, that his career was “likely over”. The first clot traveled from his leg to his lung in February of 2015.

At 32, Bosh is due $76 million over the next three seasons. While he will likely receive all that money even if he doesn’t play again, the Heat would seek to clear his salary off their cap hit for the next two seasons – a move that would free up space for them to sign a big name free agent.

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