But it probably will be a disappointment for anybody except the teams already involved. With the salary cap sliding, it's harder than ever for clubs to throw money at other teams' star talent.

I never thought Dallas had any shot at LeBron James or Dwyane Wade. But even though he's not an ideal fit, Chris Bosh returning from Toronto to his Dallas roots always seemed like at least a possibility.

After talking to Bosh at his Basketball camp at Greenhill Academy on Tuesday, I have to put him alongside LeBron and Dwyane in the "no chance" club.

There are multiple reasons, but No. 1 is that Bosh genuinely likes Toronto.

Who wouldn't? It's a great cosmopolitan city. I guess if you are young and rich, even Sacramento looks good, but Toronto has clearly won over the pride of Dallas' Lincoln High.

"It probably took me two or three years, but I went there when I was 19," said Bosh, who played one season at Georgia Tech after helping Lincoln to a state title. "I was fresh out of college. I was used to roommates and guys knocking on the door, saying where the frat party was.

"But I love Toronto. And Toronto loves me."

The Raptors would love to keep their best player. It's possible Toronto could extend his contract in the next week. But if Bosh does pursue free agency, as expected, would the Mavericks like to see Bosh in Dallas for something other than a summer camp?

They would have to welcome any player who averaged 22.7 points and 10 rebounds last year. Bosh turns 26 in March, meaning he's in position to sign for his prime years in the league.

But the downside - as far as a homecoming is concerned - is that Bosh is a power forward. He may play a vastly different game from the one Mavericks fans see from Dirk Nowitzki.

But they do play the same position.

"I think Dirk is a bona fide superstar," Bosh said. "I think he's always going to be cemented in this system."

Could Bosh see a way to fit his game to Dirk's? While it would be problematic on the defensive end, together, the two could pose nightmares for other teams when the Mavs have the ball.

"When things have to work, you can make them work," Bosh said. "In Toronto, we have to improvise to make things work. So it always depends on the situation."

Toronto's signing of Hedo Turkoglu has sparked Bosh's hopes that last season's disappointment - the Raptors won only 33 games after making the playoffs the year before - was an aberration.

And it's refreshing to listen to one of the game's young superstars inject humility into a discussion of what it takes to win.

Wade has talked about leaving the Heat if Miami can't acquire more talent. James has made it clear that the bright lights of New York and endorsement deals could be a factor in his future.

Listen as Bosh talks about the Raptors becoming a power in the East.

"We have to play well. Last year, we got ahead of ourselves with our expectations," Bosh said. "We can talk about the Raptors getting better and new players coming to the team.

"Well, I know we can get better at the starting 4 position. And that's me. That's why I'm working hard this summer on all parts of my game."

Bosh said he wasn't able to do so a year ago, when his Olympic commitment eliminated practice time. But winning gold for Team USA refueled the appetite he developed during Lincoln's magical 40-0 "national championship" season.

"We all want to win," he said." We don't want to just be in this game to say, 'Well, I played in the league.'

"You want people to remember you. And you want it to be for championships."

One can question whether or not that can happen in Toronto. But the same can be asked about Dallas, where an inside presence is missing, but a starting power forward is the least of the team's needs.