Can the Heat make the Bosh-Whiteside combination work?

Chris Bosh never got to play with Hassan Whiteside without Dwyane Wade. Wade played slow ball and iso ball. Goran Dragic, Dion Waiters, Justise Winslow, Chris Bosh and Hassan is nice. -- C.J.

While it has been well-chronicled how Bosh-Whiteside did not exactly mesh last season, I agree that when you move a component as essential as Wade out of the mix that everything changes. It is why the earliest possible read on Bosh's future is essential, if only to be able to get the five you mentioned on the court together. Still, Bosh's style is to measure situations before initiating his first move, which lends itself to a halfcourt style that might not be in the best interests of Whiteside, Dragic, Winslow and perhaps even Waiters. Now, if Bosh can't return and you wind up moving someone such as Josh Richardson or Tyler Johnson into that mix, then you assuredly would be off to the races. But with Wade gone, Bosh becomes essential for end-game situations, when play naturally slows, anyway. For now we wait, with the Heat hoping that the answer with Bosh comes sooner rather than later in September.

Motion to eject any idiot out of AmericanAirlines Arena who boos at Dwyane Wade when he comes to play this season. -- Jeromy.

Which is why it is helpful that Chicago's lone visit to South Florida comes on Nov. 10, before we get into any type of playoff race, especially with the Heat and Bulls likely fighting for similar seeds. For that matter, having the Heat's three-game season series with the Bulls being completed before the schedule's midpoint also should alleviate any tensions. Still, there will be six games before Wade's visit and the emotional barometer could be fueled by how the Heat perform in those six. A rough start to the season could create a rough setting for Wade's return, with matchups against the Spurs, Raptors and Thunder in advance of Heat-Bulls.

Ira, I know it's early, but based on the current roster what type of record do you foresee the Heat having this season? -- Vaughn, Germantown, Md.

A: That essentially gets back to today's first question? Put a lineup on the court that includes Chris Bosh and everything changes. A team with Whiteside, Bosh, Winslow and Dragic in its starting lineup should be a team that not only posts a winning record, but in this East equation, challenges for potential homecourt in the first round of the playoffs. Without Bosh it is possible the Heat field a lineup without a 2017 All-Star, which typically does not bode well for even a winning record.