Might we see Chris Bosh in a Miami Heat uniform soon? According to an Associated Press report, Chris Bosh does not plan on extending his contract with the Toronto Raptors this summer, and he intends to join the free agent class of 2010.
“[When] I signed a three-year [extension in 2006]… I had a goal in mind, and that was to put myself in the best position [in 2010] … I’m thinking I just want to stick to my goal, stick to what I was doing,” Bosh told reporters. “That’s a part of the plan … I just want to address things [after] next season. There’s a reason why I did things the way I did them back then.”
Something More than Money?
NBA officials suggest that the salary cap will decrease next season, making it likely that the talented crop of sought after players (Bosh, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Amare Stoudemire) can get more lucrative deals by extending their contracts with their current teams this summer than they can signing max deals as free agents in 2010. Bosh’s statement can easily be interpreted as the first step toward an anticipated departure from Toronto. If he was after money alone, he would extend his current contract. Might Bosh have a warmer climate in mind?
If Pat Riley signs Wade to an extension this summer, the Heat has still positioned itself with enough space in 2010 to offer a max contract to Bosh. Without state income tax in Florida, the Heat’s offer would be the richest Bosh could receive from a team other than Toronto. Money, South Beach, sunshine, and a championship caliber pairing with Wade is an offer difficult to refuse.
Trade Options
If Miami doesn’t want to take its chances in next summer’s free agent sweepstakes, the statement from Bosh could be the motivation that Toronto needs to pull the trigger on a trade that would send Bosh to Miami in exchange for Michael Beasley and expiring contracts.
Either way, Bosh took a small but significant step this Thursday toward joining the Heat.
