LeBron James is returning home to Northeast Ohio, but all isn't lost in Miami. All-star center Chris Bosh is finalizing a deal that will keep him in Miami for five years at a cost of $118 million.
The news was first reported Friday by Yahoo! Sports.
Chris Bosh has been selected to 9 straight All-Star Games. Only Kobe (15), LeBron (10), Wade (10), have longer active streaks.
— Numbers Never Lie (@ESPN_Numbers) July 11, 2014
Bosh's future in Miami was in question after James announced earlier Friday that he was returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
An unrestricted free agent, Bosh had stated he wanted to continue playing alongside James -- the two joined the Heat in 2010 and with Dwyane Wade led Miami to four straight NBA Finals and two titles.
But as Bosh waited for James to decide his fate, he was being strongly courted by the Houston Rockets, who danglinged a 4-year, $88 million offer in front of him. While it is believed Bosh seriously considered accepting Houston's offer, the lure of remaining in Miami and the Heat's latest offer proved too enticing to turn down.
Among the so-called Big 3 -- Bosh, James and Wade -- Bosh seemed to sacrifice the most, especially on offense. He was the go-to guy in Toronto, where he played the first seven years of his career. But in Miami, Bosh was often viewed as the third scoring option, behind James and Wade -- when the latter was healthy.
Last season Bosh averaged 16.2 points, the lowest total since his rookie season. His 6.6 rebound average was a career low.
With James no longer sharing the court in Miami, Bosh's scoring and rebounding averages are likely to increase during the 2014-15 season.
© 2023 Sportsworldnews.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
