Chris Bosh

[DBoys]

Yes of course, playing for only one second qualifies as having played in that game.

[BdeRegt]

With all due respect to Albert, who is great at this stuff, there's still contradictory thinking being used.

He said "if the Heat waives him in conjunction with a doctor who is jointly selected by the league and players association" etc ....but then with the idea that Bosh MIGHT possibly play again shortly thereafter, and discussing how MIA would want to position themselves for that possibility, it's ignoring how essentially impossible it is for that to even arise. There's some major disconnect from reality as to how severe and permanent the situation has to be perceived by the docs, to get that NBA approval in the 1st place.

The standard is extreme.

This isn't a maybe. It's docs saying he's done for good, no way he plays again (or should be allowed back in the league ever), and the idea that after such a determination he'd then be able to play again in a few weeks or even months is absurd beyond belief. What's getting lost is that if Bosh truly CAN play for another team at that point, or is even close and it's just a matter of time, MIA won't get approval.

Due to HIPPA laws it’s safe to say only Bosh, his family/close friends, his lawyer(s), and his doctors know the severity of Bosh’s medical condition.

It is a sad story, but for the purpose of exploring what you call Albert’s “contradictory thinking”, let’s just assume an NBA doctor and an NBPA selected doctor agree that Bosh’s medical condition is “career-ending, or severe enough that playing would subject him to medically unacceptable risk of suffering a life-threatening or permanently disabling injury or illness”. Thus, let’s assume the Heat get approval for salary cap relief from Bosh’s salary.

Assuming the above is true, I agree that having Bosh playing again shortly thereafter is almost impossible. However, let’s again assume there is a drug that is discovered (just after the approval of the salary cap relief) that is so revolutionary that it cures or regulates Bosh’s coagulation disorder(s). According to the FDA, a drug can be approved in ~6 months if given a “Priority Review” designation; drugs that offer major advances in treatment, or provide a treatment where none existed can be given such a designation. I’m sure there’s more red-tape and regulatory agencies involved (i.e. CLIA, JAHCO, & CAP), but let’s say by February 2018, the NBA/ another doctor clears Bosh to play after such medical advances.

After all of those unlikely combination of events (hopefully there will be a treatment/drug), and if a team were to sign Bosh for the remainder of the 2017-18 season, would it be possible for him to play 1 second per game for 25 games just so that the Heat’s cap relief would be reversed and Bosh’s cap hits would be restored? In other words, can a team sub Bosh in for 1 second, call a time-out, and sub Bosh out after 1 second, repeat that for 24 more games, and be considered “proving the doctor wrong” by “playing” 25 games?

I’m not suggesting a GM or coach would be so cruel to even do that to Bosh who loves to play. I’m just curious if 1 second of “play” would be credited as 1 game of play. Of course if the drug was indeed so revolutionary and effective, a team who signs Bosh would probably play him more than 25 seconds for a season.

Yes, a team could do that and it would count as 25 games played and Bosh would go back on the Heat books. However, I would expect a team who did that to be punished. It is not against the rules but it is important to remember that the CBA describes what is allowed not a strict rule book. I would consider playing Bosh the bare minimum to get him back on the Heat's cap to receive more luxury tax payments as circumventing the CBA. The NBA could punish the team as it sees fit.

[sportscrazy]

If the Knicks made a trade based around Chris Bosh for 'Melo, then didn't play Bosh, how quick would Bosh's salary come off the books?

[BdeRegt]

If the Knicks made a trade based around Chris Bosh for 'Melo, then didn't play Bosh, how quick would Bosh's salary come off the books?

It wouldn't come off the Knicks books until his contract expires. Only the team at the time his illness was discovered can apply for the salary exclusion.

Question 63 of CBAFAQ.

[sportscrazy]

What date does Bosh's salary come off the books for Miami? Is it prior to the deadline? Would a Dion Waiters, Justise Winslow and Josh McRoberts for Carmelo Anthony deal work cap wise?

[DBoys]

Edited answer below, for better clarity (My prior answer, written hastily, was worded a bit choppily between what i was trying to express and the way it was written.)

[HartfordWhalers]

It doesn't come off the books at all this season, no matter what. it MIGHT come off in future season, if Bosh is waived at some point by the Heat under a "permanent medical retirement" claim AND he's declared unable to play anymore by the NBA docs. (The process to get that doctor approval changes a bit under the new CBA beginning July 1, but the structure will remain the same.)

Not sure your basis here, but there is no reason that couldn't occur this season versus waiting until next season.

[DBoys]

Not sure your basis here, but there is no reason that couldn't occur this season versus waiting until next season.

That's true, it could occur this season.

The question asked was what day Bosh's salary will come off the books, with the apparent assumption that there is a date this season when that is set to occur. I was attempting to explain that it doesn't have to come off this season, and might actually be next, but the better way to answer that, over how I did do so, would have been to say that we don't know the date, because a salary removal doesn't occur automatically.

The process includes:
1 There has to be at least one year lapse since the last time Bosh played. But it can wait until much later, if MIA wishes.
2 MIA has to waive BOSH (with no buyout or other cap adjustment requested)
3 MIA also has to apply to NBA for a "permanently injured and unable to ever play again in the NBA" designation regarding Bosh
4 That designation has to be approved by NBA docs.

Could all of that happen before the trade deadline? Yes. But MIA might have preferential reasons to wait until the summer. It appears they are in full tank mode, so perhaps immediate on-court help would be undesirable to them. And the rules are being changed on how this is handled. So we'll just have to see what timetable they pick.