The Utah Jazz have quietly slinked in the NBA playoffs without much fanfare unlike the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and James Harden. With the spotlight focused on Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, James Harden and Eric Gordon, fans barely paid attention to the leadership and skills of Rudy Gobert and Gordon Hayward. Now, the team seems to have been pushed to the center stage as they find themselves tagged in a potential Chris Bosh contract with the Miami Heat.
The exit of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James to join the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers, respectively, left the Miami Heat with only Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic as their leaders. While the team struggled to keep themselves afloat this season, their move to the NBA playoffs proves their capacity to survive without the Big 3. Nonetheless, Pat Riley remains impassive on the issue of a Chris Bosh contract. However, many feel that the Miami Heat just wants a good trade offer to release the former All-Star.
"Miami want to keep alive the not-very-likely possibility of being able to trade Bosh (after the season) to a team that might want to trade something Miami wants or a team that believes he could play or (as was the case before last month's trade deadline) a team that needed to get to the cap floor. There were preliminary trade inquiries earlier this season," shared Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Rumors are rife that a number of young teams inquired of a Chris Bosh contract this season including the Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers. However, the Utah Jazz seems to be pushing for the trade harder in an effort to add some star power to the team. More importantly, fans believe that the team up of Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert only needs a little encouragement to become one of the most sought after partnerships in the West - the kind to actually rival the Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant or San Antonio Spurs' Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge.
"I'm still a basketball player at heart. I can't help it," said Chris Bosh of his status. "People are so concerned and I appreciate it, but I'm doing fine. I'm very happy. I'm getting to do other things that I have never been able to do. I'm a beginner in a lot of things. But I've learned to like it, and just look at the nice new picture I have of the world."
What do you think? Should the Utah Jazz consider a Chris Bosh contract? Will the Miami Heat star be a good mentor for Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert?
