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Chris Bosh is the third of the big three pieces the Miami Heat spent big money on this offseason to overhaul the roster and make the team the title favorites heading into the 2010-2011 season.
Bosh, a franchise player during his days with the Toronto Raptors, has managed to fly under the radar given his new teammates in LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
But will flying under the radar be a good thing for Bosh or will his backseat position cost him when it comes to living up to his contract with the Heat?
Lack of Opportunities - Bosh was the focus of the Raptors offense during his days in Toronto. Now, Bosh is locked into his third option role in the Heat offense.
Bosh recorded 24 points per game in 2009-2010, a career high, but on a team where he will be third option, his numbers have no where to go but down. Tough to live up to a max contract when one's scoring numbers decrease.
Won't Avoid Contact - Chris Bosh doesn't want to take on the responsibility of a center, but eventually Bosh is going to find himself going mano-a-mano with the likes of Dwight Howard and other big men in the league.
Bosh's build doesn't exactly favor those kind of confrontations and they could expedite the general wear and tear on his body
He Was Never Really a Max Contract Guy -Despite averaging a double-double per night in three of the last four seasons, most analysts never viewed Chris Bosh as a max contract player.
Most analysts viewed Bosh as a complimentary, a secondary (or in this case tertiary) piece, which by most general manager accounts wouldn't demand max contract money.
Yes, the Heat's big three left a collective $15 million on the table to play together but Bosh will, for the length of his career, be tagged with the "max contract" label and be compared to that fairly or unfairly.
Smaller Spotlight - Chris Bosh was celebrated just as much as Dwyane Wade and LeBron James when the signing went down. However, the spotlight will shine brighter on Bosh's new teammates than it will on him.
However, heading into free agency, Bosh viewed himself as a marquee No. 1 guy. Now, he's far down the depth chart when it comes to exposure and media favorability.
Will LeBron and Wade receiving a greater amount of the glory eventually chafe at Bosh?
He's Never Had to Share - Bosh comes from a franchise that was catered to his ability. Regardless of his max contract, he is now on a team catered to the other two superstars.
How will Bosh's game react to that?
His rebounding numbers should remain steady, but a dip in scoring plus less touches will have to come with the understand and belief is for the bigger, better good.
Will Bosh's opinion of himself get in the way?
Style of Offense - With Toronto, Bosh had the benefit of an offensive game plan that focused on working the ball into him in the paint. The Raptors played closer to the basket and relied on Bosh's playmaking ability.
The Heat, conversely, will be a more perimeter-based offense which will rely on Wade and LeBron distributing the ball or more simply taking the ball to the rim themselves. It will not be a traditional inside-outside offense Bosh is used to.
Bosh will no longer have the luxury of camping on the low block and waiting for the ball. He will be forced to adapt to Wade and LeBron's creativity.
Pressure - For the first leg of his career, Bosh played in the pressure-free environment of Toronto. Now, Bosh has arguably the biggest microscope in sports placed squarely above his head. How will he, and his new teammates, respond to that pressure?
Obviously the Heat's big three and the rest of the team fold into this category, but it is a variable Bosh has never dealt with and could lead to a slip in his game.
The Coaching - Erik Spoelstra is the head coach of the Miami Heat—for now. But will he have the wherewithal and the means to get the most of his new toys?
More specifically, with Spoelstra be so enthralled with having Wade and LeBron on the floor at the same time divert his attention from Bosh?
Will he give Bosh the appropriate solutions in the playbook should the power forward grow disgruntled with his offensive role?
Managing the egos will be as important for Spoelstra's job as X's and O's.
The Competition - The power has shifted to the Eastern Conference for this upcoming season and beyond.
The Heat still have the Celtics to deal with, but other threats like Orlando, Chicago and improving young teams like Milwaukee and Washington will not make it an easy ride through the conference.
Those hurdles will or will not lead to...
...Championships - In the end, Bosh and the Heat will be judged by their titles won, and they will win them. But what exactly is the number that will signify that Bosh and the Heat have MET expectations?
Surely, we all expect them to win at least one, but with all their talent what is a reasonable expectation? Two titles? Three? Four? Six or Seven like LeBron said?
This will not be a half-decade of unfettered Heat title dominance, which leaves the door open for Bosh and his team to fail to meet expectations.
Bosh, a franchise player during his days with the Toronto Raptors, has managed to fly under the radar given his new teammates in LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
But will flying under the radar be a good thing for Bosh or will his backseat position cost him when it comes to living up to his contract with the Heat?
Lack of Opportunities - Bosh was the focus of the Raptors offense during his days in Toronto. Now, Bosh is locked into his third option role in the Heat offense.
Bosh recorded 24 points per game in 2009-2010, a career high, but on a team where he will be third option, his numbers have no where to go but down. Tough to live up to a max contract when one's scoring numbers decrease.
Won't Avoid Contact - Chris Bosh doesn't want to take on the responsibility of a center, but eventually Bosh is going to find himself going mano-a-mano with the likes of Dwight Howard and other big men in the league.
Bosh's build doesn't exactly favor those kind of confrontations and they could expedite the general wear and tear on his body
He Was Never Really a Max Contract Guy -Despite averaging a double-double per night in three of the last four seasons, most analysts never viewed Chris Bosh as a max contract player.
Most analysts viewed Bosh as a complimentary, a secondary (or in this case tertiary) piece, which by most general manager accounts wouldn't demand max contract money.
Yes, the Heat's big three left a collective $15 million on the table to play together but Bosh will, for the length of his career, be tagged with the "max contract" label and be compared to that fairly or unfairly.
Smaller Spotlight - Chris Bosh was celebrated just as much as Dwyane Wade and LeBron James when the signing went down. However, the spotlight will shine brighter on Bosh's new teammates than it will on him.
However, heading into free agency, Bosh viewed himself as a marquee No. 1 guy. Now, he's far down the depth chart when it comes to exposure and media favorability.
Will LeBron and Wade receiving a greater amount of the glory eventually chafe at Bosh?
He's Never Had to Share - Bosh comes from a franchise that was catered to his ability. Regardless of his max contract, he is now on a team catered to the other two superstars.
How will Bosh's game react to that?
His rebounding numbers should remain steady, but a dip in scoring plus less touches will have to come with the understand and belief is for the bigger, better good.
Will Bosh's opinion of himself get in the way?
Style of Offense - With Toronto, Bosh had the benefit of an offensive game plan that focused on working the ball into him in the paint. The Raptors played closer to the basket and relied on Bosh's playmaking ability.
The Heat, conversely, will be a more perimeter-based offense which will rely on Wade and LeBron distributing the ball or more simply taking the ball to the rim themselves. It will not be a traditional inside-outside offense Bosh is used to.
Bosh will no longer have the luxury of camping on the low block and waiting for the ball. He will be forced to adapt to Wade and LeBron's creativity.
Pressure - For the first leg of his career, Bosh played in the pressure-free environment of Toronto. Now, Bosh has arguably the biggest microscope in sports placed squarely above his head. How will he, and his new teammates, respond to that pressure?
Obviously the Heat's big three and the rest of the team fold into this category, but it is a variable Bosh has never dealt with and could lead to a slip in his game.
The Coaching - Erik Spoelstra is the head coach of the Miami Heat—for now. But will he have the wherewithal and the means to get the most of his new toys?
More specifically, with Spoelstra be so enthralled with having Wade and LeBron on the floor at the same time divert his attention from Bosh?
Will he give Bosh the appropriate solutions in the playbook should the power forward grow disgruntled with his offensive role?
Managing the egos will be as important for Spoelstra's job as X's and O's.
The Competition - The power has shifted to the Eastern Conference for this upcoming season and beyond.
The Heat still have the Celtics to deal with, but other threats like Orlando, Chicago and improving young teams like Milwaukee and Washington will not make it an easy ride through the conference.
Those hurdles will or will not lead to...
...Championships - In the end, Bosh and the Heat will be judged by their titles won, and they will win them. But what exactly is the number that will signify that Bosh and the Heat have MET expectations?
Surely, we all expect them to win at least one, but with all their talent what is a reasonable expectation? Two titles? Three? Four? Six or Seven like LeBron said?
This will not be a half-decade of unfettered Heat title dominance, which leaves the door open for Bosh and his team to fail to meet expectations.
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