Chris Bosh on Not Choosing Houston: “It’s Always Business”

Nov 12, 2012; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden (13) takes a shot over Miami Heat center Chris Bosh (1) in the fourth quarter at the Toyota Center. The Heat defeated the Rockets 113-110. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

After seriously considering forming a ‘Big 3’ with Dwight Howard and James Harden in Houston last offseason, All-Star power forward/center Chris Bosh decided to re-sign with the Miami Heat.

The Heat inked Bosh to a five year, $118 million max contract. The most the Rockets could offer him was a four year, $88 million max deal.

In a recent interview with Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel, Bosh admitted that money played a huge role in his decision (h/t RealGM.com):

“It’s always business,” he said. “Nothing is ever personal. I think 100 percent of those dudes would have taken the deal I took.

“It’s not always about money,” Bosh said. “But you do want your full market value. If you work your butt off to get to a certain point, you want to be rewarded for that.”

No one can ridicule Bosh for making the choice he made. Both max deals were on the table, and Miami’s provided him one more guaranteed year as well as $30 million more in guaranteed money. Signing with the Heat proved the smarter business decision, especially considering the 30-year-old veteran will likely never get offered max money again.

As far as the basketball side is concerned, Miami is more beneficial than Houston as well. Sure, Bosh could have created the second ‘Big 3’ of his career with Harden and Howard, but why do that when he can serve as the number one player on the LeBron James-less Heat squad?

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In his last season as the top option for the Toronto Raptors (2009-10), Bosh produced outstanding averages of 24.0 points and 10.8 rebounds. The big man is an All-Star capable of leading his own team, and it’s understandable that he accepted the opportunity to do so after deferring to teammates for four consecutive years.

Of course, some may argue that by denying the Rockets, Bosh ruined his chances of winning another championship. Whether or not this is true is irrelevant, as the 11-year veteran has won two titles and is not necessarily chasing the NBA record for rings.

At this point, the only thing Bosh has left to prove is whether or not he can experience any sort of playoff success as a number one option. Miami gives him the perfect chance to do this, and his supporting cast plus Dwyane Wade should aid in his efforts tremendously.

No matter how you slice it, Bosh made the best choice for himself moving forward. Unfortunately, Houston suffered the consequences by missing out on a top free agent.

(Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com)