The Miami Heat have been encouraged by the progress made recently by Hassan Whiteside.

Whiteside will be a free in the offseason and the Heat do not own his Bird rights.

Pat Riley approached him recently “and told me how proud he was of me and to keep building on that,” Whiteside said.

“They haven't talked about [free agency],” he said. “They want to see how far we get this season with this team. Playoffs will speak a lot.

“I hope [there’s interest]. I like the organization. Pat Riley is always going to do a great job of adding people that are going to help you win. It's not hard to sell to come to Miami. You can always recruit great talent.”

He said he wants to “win more than anything” and believes he can do that here. “I don’t know too much about free agency yet,” he said. “I’m going to learn, though.”

LeBron James is unsure if any NBA owner would go for the idea of him teaming up with Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul due to how much power would be conceded to the players.

Wade wants not part of it for now.

"Don't put me in it," Wade said. "I ain't jumping in that. Don't put me in that right now. I'm not answering that question about what we talked about."

Anthony waited to make his decision until James made his because he thought it would be possible to play together.

Anthony was asked about forming a superteam.

"I think by that time [in your career], you want to go somewhere warm," Anthony said. "By that time. That's later. That would be later -- retirement. ... I'm just adding fuel to the fire."

Anthony said his loyalty remains to the New York Knicks.

"I came here for a reason, which was to win in New York," Anthony said. "Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case thus far, but I feel like I have unfinished business to take care of. And I feel like, I don't know, maybe it's just me, if I just get up and run away from something that I started, that I feel a part of and that's not done yet, then I think I would carry that burden on my shoulders. That's just me as an individual."

Chris Bosh remains hopeful of returning to game action this season but he can only do so once he's not on blood thinners.

Bosh's blood clot in his calf has dissipated but he's still on blood thinners.

The Miami Heat and Bosh have received different medical opinions on how soon he can play once ending the medication.

Some doctors recommend staying on blood thinners for three to six months after a clot develops but that's not a unanimous view.

Dwyane Wade is on track to play 75 games, the most he's played since the 10-11 season. Pat Riley has even floated the idea of Wade playing until he's 40.

“I go out there each year and try to do what I can within that season and I’m gonna try to do that until I don’t want to do that no more,” he said Sunday. “If God continues to bless me where I’m able to have the health to play, then I will do it. When I feel like I don’t want to do it no more, hopefully I can walk away from it when that time comes.

“But I’m enjoying it, man. I really like this team. I really like the vibe that we’re building in the city of Miami. No complaints here.”

Wade isn't as explosive as he was in his prime but he's able to manage his body well at the age of 34 after 13 NBA seasons and multiple knee issues.

Wade is averaging 19 points, 4.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 30.7 minutes per game.

Chris Bosh returned to the bench of the Miami Heat for the first time since being sidelined by blood clots last month.

"It's awesome having him around," Erik Spoelstra said after the game. "I love Chris. I love having him around. He always has an intuitive feel of what I'm thinking, what needs to be relayed. He's an example of leadership at all levels.

"This is the first one he was out here; normally he watches from the back. Even before the game, he was going through the scout [film] before our [pregame] meeting."

It's uncertain if Bosh will return this season.

"It was cool to see him back out there," Dwyane Wade said. "We didn't know he was coming out until he came out. It was a surprise for everybody. We trust his IQ, so when he comes to the bench, he's telling us some of the things he sees."

Chris Bosh has announced his blood clot has cleared and he has been cleared to play.

Bosh would like to return this season.

Bosh has been out since the All-Star break.

LeBron James informed both the management of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Joe Johnson that he was willing to slide to power forward on a permanent basis to accommodate him.

"All I care about is winning. That's all that matters to me," James said "A piece like Joe, you know what it does to your team and if he was concerned about playing time or concerned about starting, then I'll sacrifice. I'll sacrifice to get a guy like that to help us try to win a championship."

Johnson instead signed with the Miami Heat.

James has been reluctant to play power forward on a full time basis.

"Man listen, I'll do anything to win. I'll kidnap my momma to win," James said.

James was asked if he would consider such a sacrifice in the past.

"I don't know. I don't know. I can't answer that, but I know I'll do it now," he said to cleveland.com. "I mean, you're trying to make a push. We're in March. You get a guy like Joe Johnson, you get a guy that can change your team for the better. I wouldn't have a problem with [moving to the four].

"If he wanted to come in and start and we wanted to keep J.R. [Smith] in the starting lineup and if Double-T (Tristan Thompson) or Mozzy (Timofey Mozgov) had to come off the bench in order for Joe to start and slide Kev [Love] to the five, I would have done it."

Chris Bosh is working out with the Miami Heat coaching staff as he continues to sit with blood clots.

"Not necessarily with the team. But, yeah, he'll work out with the staff," Spoelstra said. "He's staying engaged and he's in great spirits. And that never surprised me with C.B."

The Heat are listing no injury or ailment for Bosh beyond, "inactive list."

A team spokesman said before Sunday's game, "There is no new news on Chris Bosh."

Bosh posted Saturday on his Twitter account, "Workout was good today." He also offered a Twitter reply to a question on his health, with a response of, "Feeling good! Feeling great!"

The Heat have moved to a faster pace with Bosh out and Joe Johnson starting.

Hassan Whiteside was asked about what he might think of the opportunity to become the franchise player of a team.

Whiteside has emerged as one of the NBA's most productive big men with the Miami Heat and he'll become a free agent this offseason.

"That'd be nice," Whiteside said when asked. "I feel like a lot of people want to be that. But I want to win more than anything. I don't really want to be the face of a losing franchise. You want to be a face of a winning program. And it's always easier to get people to come to Miami."

Whiteside has moved to the bench to accommodate Joe Johnson.

Whiteside's free agency is a difficult one to predict due to how he fits with the team and the fact Miami will have to use cap space to re-sign him.

"It's going to be interesting," he said of his offseason. "The way I think now I might not think at the end of the season. I might have a different perspective. My perspective now is different than when I first came. A lot changed."

LeBron James was not interested in justifying his trip to Miami to spend part of the time working out with Dwyane Wade.

James used consecutive off days for the Cleveland Cavaliers to fly to Miami.

"I don't care," James said after Cavs practice Thursday when asked about the perception of him spending time with Wade.

"What do I go there for? Go there 'cause I want to," James said. "I would love to go to L.A., but I'll take 2½ [hour flight] over 4½. I've got a house in L.A., but it makes more sense for me to go South than go West. But I go because I want to."

When James finished his remarks to the media for the day, he made reference to the Miami line of questioning again.

"That's cool? I'm OK to leave when I want to leave?" James facetiously asked. "Be back at my work on time, two hours before? OK. Last one to leave the gym. OK. Thank you. Love you guys."

James shortly thereafter posted the following message on Twitter.

"Can't replace being around great friends that reciprocate the same energy back to you in all facets of life," wrote James.

James was also asked what he meant by the following comments on Tuesday on Twitter:

"It's ok to know you've made a mistake. Cause we all do at times. Just be ready to live with whatever that comes with it and be with those who will protect you at all cost!"

James said it had nothing to do with the Cavs or a teammate.