There's no questioning the greatest of the mini dynasty the Miami Heat enjoyed from 2010 to 2014 — the four-year era that saw the Big 3 of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh go to four straight NBA Finals, winning two back-to-back.
It was arguably LeBron's best era of his prime, Bosh's greatest achievement in terms of winning, and the era that made Wade the best shooting guard in NBA history outside of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Those four years were legendary for the Heat, but they could have led to even greater success.
Bosh understands this all too well, as does most of the basketball world, in and outside of the NBA (fans included). Had the trio stayed together in Miami, they would have almost certainly won more titles together, which is why Bosh's most recent comments carry a lot of weight, although maybe a slight at his former teammate, James, as well.
Chris Bosh believes the Heat could have competed for championships after LeBron James went back to Cleveland
There's usually an inevitable breakup when super teams are built. It happened with the Golden State Warriors when Klay Thompson eventually left, and before that, when Kevin Durant left. The Warriors experienced a mini-super-team dynasty while Durant was there, but after two rings and a Draymond Green on-court scuffle, Durant was out of there.
In Miami, LeBron was out of there, on his way back home, leaving the Heat with only Wade and Bosh behind. After LeBron left, the Heat would be ravaged by injuries to both Wade and Bosh. However, the latter still believes Miami could have kept winning even in the absence of James, as he discussed recently on Matt Barnes' and Stephen Jackson's All the Smoke podcast.
“We had a squad man, I felt not to say we were gonna win it all, but we could’ve competed for a championship…I wanted to establish myself in the record books, I wanted to establish myself without LeBron to be honest with you," Bosh said. "We wanted to win without him, to be honest. It’s something to say Shaq won without Kobe, Kobe won without Shaq. I wanted to put myself in that category and on that pedestal. I wanted to help D-Wade get back to that status as well. I felt really good about our team. We were in 2nd or 3rd place. Sh*t, if we get to the Eastern Conference Finals, let’s play some ball. I’m not worried about it at all.”
Both Wade and Bosh were champions (Wade three times over and Bosh twice) at that point, so ring DNA was rushing through their systems. Who's to say they couldn't have won without LeBron? Miami's supporting cast at that time was still solid as well. Bosh would also admit in the episode that he felt offended by LeBron's exit, or more so by how LeBron handled it in a last-minute text message.
Unfortunately, Bosh's career within the next few years would come to a close due to very dangerous blood clots that forced him to retire. But no matter how he felt about his time with the Heat, LeBron's departure, or unfinished business, Bosh went to the Hall of Fame with two rings on his fingers. That's something no one will ever take away from him.
That said, it is interesting to ponder what might have been after LeBron returned to Cleveland. Furthermore, it's interesting to ponder what would have happened had he stayed in Miami: just how many more championships they could have won? Remember LeBron's "not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven" declaration? Maybe they wouldn't have won seven, but four? Sure, why not?