Bosh throws himself into free agent discussion

Let’s see, so far during the opening weeks of the season, we’ve obsessed about Dwyane Wade and LeBron James possibly joining the Bulls as a free agent next summer.

How about Chris Bosh? The Toronto power forward is off to a spectacular start, averaging 26.8 points and 12.3 rebounds per game heading into Friday’s action.

After a loss to Utah, Bosh lamented how little attention he gets compared to his Class of ’03 peers such as Wade, James and Carmelo Anthony.

“Every day I turn on the TV and they're talking about guys, especially my draft class, '03 draft class, and this and that,” he said in the Toronto Star. “They keep bringing up all these and I never hear my name, unless I'm like second honorable mention or something like that. I got tired of that.

“I don't even think people know I've made all-star teams or know what I've done in this league.”

Of course, the Ugly American knee-jerk reaction would be to suggest Bosh’s true message is it’s time for him to get out of Canada.

Maybe, but he also expressed some loyalty to Toronto by predicting future improvement from his Raptors, who were 5-7 after losing to the Jazz.

“You can see it coming,” Bosh said. “We're going to be a good team.”

A day earlier, a reporter from AOL Fanhouse asked Bosh about a potential connection with Wade in Miami. The Heat will also have plenty of cap room.

“Anything is possible, I guess,” Bosh said. “I guess that seems to be an attractive place, you know, playing with Dwyane and playing in Miami and everything.

“I’m just trying to concentrate on winning basketball games and playing good so that people will actually want to sign me.”

Though he often displays the personality of a Georgia Tech engineering student, Bosh is a noted self-promoter. Remember the well-done video where he posed as a used-car TV pitchman to beg for all-star votes.

He also has his own channel on YouTube. Last May, there was a video of Bosh eating a giant breakfast at one of those South (Miami) Beach sidewalk dining tables. But he was wearing a White Sox cap. Talk about mixed messages.

Anyway, people are bound to keep talking about the possibility of Bosh joining Wade or James, but a better connection might be Joakim Noah.

As predicted here before the season, the problem Toronto faces this season is a Bosh, Hedo Turkoglu, Andrea Bargnani front line equals atrocious defense. Sure enough, the Raptors were giving up 106 points through Thursday.

Bosh needs a real center playing next to him and the Bulls have one in Noah.
The potential beauty of the Bulls’ situation is if John Salmons opts out of his contract next summer, they could have the choice of plugging in a free agent at shooting guard or power forward. If they get one, they could re-sign Tyrus Thomas. If they get the other, they could try to keep Salmons. Or maybe if the planets align, they could sign Wade and trade for Bosh, but that’s just a dream right now.

Before long, we’ll probably get Atlanta’s Joe Johnson lamenting the Hawks’ lack of fan support and the Bulls will have a new target to discuss.