The Miami Heat made it official on Wednesday when they announced that Chris Bosh is out for the duration of the NBA playoffs.
The Heat have been relatively mum on Bosh's status all along, simply stating he was out indefinitely. There was hope that Bosh could potentially play in a future round, but that will not be the case.
In recent days, the team and the All-Star have been at a crossroads on his return. While Miami has been adamant that Bosh would remain out, the big man has been vocal in his desire to return to the court. It was reported on Tuesday that the players union would even be stepping in to discuss the matter with the Heat.
Ultimately the decision on if or when Bosh steps onto the court will be up to the team. The Heat are under no obligation to play Bosh and could simply keep him on the bench as he continues to receive his pay. Until team doctors give their ok, Bosh will remain out of action for Miami.
While Miami and Bosh have never publicly stated what he condition he is battling, it has been reported by multiple sources that there was a re-occurrence of a blood clot issue for Bosh. The All-Star has not played for Miami since February 9th. This was right before the All-Star game which was set to play in, but ended up missing due to the ailment.
Bosh is under contract through the 2018-19 season and his status for next year remains up in the air at this point. The Heat will likely work diligently to assess Bosh's condition as they work the free-agent market in the off-season. The team which is historically cautious with its talent will undoubtedly keep Bosh off the court until he is 100% healthy.
Miami will continue its Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday. Bosh was on the bench for the first game, and is expected to be there again cheering on his teammates.
