A: The NBA's collective-bargaining agreement is not exactly a living document. It is a preset collaboration that typically requires give and take, as well as the occasional lockout, just to set in place. And it's not something that changes for a one-off incident. Beyond that, as mentioned here before, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have Dec. 15 deadlines to opt out of the current deal and renegotiate a new CBA. The last thing either side would want to do at such a delicate time is draw a line in the sand over a single player. As for the Heat allowing Bosh to play, it ultimately might not be their decision. If he is cleared by the right doctors (and it's still unclear who the "right doctors" might be), then he plays. Holding Bosh out cannot solely be a factor of the salary cap. That, by contrast, is something the union very much would step forward about, since that would be a policy shift that could impact every player. No, for now the rules of the game are clear and unbending for Bosh, the Heat, the NBA and the players' union. It is within those constraints that a resolution much be reached.