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In September, during a routine preseason physical for the Suns, an echocardiogram revealed that the 29-year-old forward has an enlarged heart. His season, doctors said definitively, was over. His career path -- which included two years in Portland -- is a little more uncertain. He is under doctor's orders not to run. Or work out. Or do anything that escalates his heart rate. The extent of his activity these days is yoga and golf. "Just give me 20 minutes to run," Frye says, sitting against the wall in his yoga room. "I mean, when's the last time I've been able to run? It's been six months." Oregonian

Phoenix Suns, Channing Frye, Injuries 

He is a little down today -- Monday -- but it's only perceptible because he says so. Five days ago, during a checkup, doctors felt the need to prescribe beta blockers to help restrict his heart rate. Frye is careful not to call it a setback, but the development weighs on him. He is a strict believer in practicing naturopathic treatment, and the directive for traditional medicine ends the chance of him beating this obstacle on his terms. Oregonian

Phoenix Suns, Channing Frye, Injuries 

He says he is "95 percent" sure he will return to the NBA next season. After averaging 11.5 points and 5.9 rebounds in three seasons with the Suns, he is under contract through 2015, with $13.2 million still owed to him. He says he feels like he has so much to offer the Suns. The game was just slowing down for him. He had just spent the summer working on his post game, on becoming more versatile by creating his own shot off the dribble. And he had finally grasped the nuance and importance of how to create space within the offense. Oregonian

Phoenix Suns, Channing Frye, Injuries 

Aside from the occasional hazards that come with the increased Daddy Duty, Frye is loving the new ways of his world. The married father of two learned in September that a virus in his heart was causing it to grow to a life-threatening size, and his career as a sharpshooting big man came to a scary halt as a result. He is "95 percent positive" that he'll be healthy enough to return for next season, yet still acknowledges that there's a slim chance he may never play again. For now, though, he follows the sort of doctor's orders that have his mental health – if not his physical – at an all-time high: Rest and relaxation, with a focus on being a more peaceful, healthier person en route to having a normal-sized heart. USA Today Sports

Phoenix Suns, Channing Frye 

While Frye won't play this season, he is considering traveling with the Suns in late March and April as a way of getting accustomed to the rigors of the road again. And should his recovery fall short and he's not able to return to the NBA next season or ever again, he knows first-hand how gratifying life after basketball can be. "I was really, really lucky…that my (condition) was viral and that they caught it before my heart had actually stayed that size," said Frye, who has two seasons and a combined $13.2 million left on his deal with the Suns (player option in 2014-15). "It's like a rubber band. If you have a hot rubber band and you're moving it back and forth it's going to stretch out, but once you put it in something cold it's going to stay that big. That's the problem with a lot of hearts is that they stay that big. USA Today Sports

Phoenix Suns, Channing Frye, Injuries 

Of course this is painful for Channing Frye. The 29-year-old Phoenix Suns forward has an enlarged heart, for goodness sakes, one that has taken him away from the game that he loves and forced him to wonder for quite some time now if he'll ever be the same again as a basketball player. But this isn't that. This, you see, is his new reality that only hurts when his kids don't pick up their toys. "Ouch!" he yelled during a phone interview with USA TODAY Sports this week. "Stepped on a lego…" USA Today Sports

Phoenix Suns, Channing Frye, Injuries 

"The first month I was going nuts," said Frye, who has a two-year-old son (Hendrix) and nine-month-old daughter (Margaux) with his wife, Lauren. "And the thing was, and not to get all mojo on you, but I really had to do a lot of meditating on the question of, 'Why? Why did (competing) make me happy and what else can I be competitive about that doesn't have to do with beating someone? How can I be more competitive with myself and be a better me?' "A big thing with the heart issue is you can't be up in here being stressed and having a lot of anxiety, so I had to do a lot of soul searching about how, 'Why do certain things make me upset?' and being more honest with myself. It's actually made my marriage awesome, it's made my friendships better." USA Today Sports

Phoenix Suns, Channing Frye, Injuries 

He arrives early on game nights, usually finishing a modest shooting routine before the early fans enter US Airways Center two hours before the opening tip. This is the time reserved for main-court work by the Phoenix Suns’ out-of-the-rotation players, with the others chugging through several grueling drills while he waits for an opportunity to squeeze in a few jumpers. “I’m kind of like car in the garage you haven’t gotten to yet that just needs to sit,” Channing Frye said at the end of one of these sessions. Fox Sports Arizona

Phoenix Suns, Channing Frye 

“I’m getting a slice of what it’s like to be retired,” Frye said, “and I’m not ready to go yet.” Frye believes he’ll play again, but the requirement for preparing his body for a return has been turned upside down. Waiting for his heart to not be enlarged is something of an anti-rehab rehab. “If it was something I could work out,” he said, “something that I could put time in on . . . you know, eat this or don’t drink that . . . take this vitamin . . . it would be something different. “It’s the one problem that hard work can’t solve — only resting can.” Fox Sports Arizona

Phoenix Suns, Channing Frye 

While he’s attempting a big recovery by doing as little as possible, Frye’s attempting to block the career disappointment by leaning on life-related perspective. “Why fight it?” he said. “That causes more stress. I won’t say I’m pretty Zen right now, but I’m pretty cool about a lot of things, and it’s taken a lot of stress out of my life.” Fox Sports Arizona

Phoenix Suns, Channing Frye 

But refusing to close the door on competing again requires Frye to stay within shooting range of his team. He’s grateful for added time with his family at home while maintaining ties with his family at work, shooting a few jumpers on game nights to “make sure things are staying functional.” Doctor-ordered “chillin' out” takes some soul-searching. “It’s very difficult,” Frye said. “You know, I think — especially at the beginning — I worked so hard this summer to get back from my shoulder. It’s been a long road back. Like I said, I’m not going to stress about shoulda, coulda, woulda. “I didn’t know what was wrong with my heart. The doctors didn’t know. If people knew that for a week I thought I was going to die the next time I exercised . . ." Fox Sports Arizona

Phoenix Suns, Channing Frye 

Brett Pollakoff: Good to see Channing Frye out there getting some shots up. @ US Airways Center instagr.am/p/Tb_K0ppisV/ Twitter @BrettEP

Phoenix Suns, Channing Frye 

Paul Coro: Suns prez Lon Babby said the front office "will not do anything dramatic at this point" with the roster due to Frye being out. Twitter

Phoenix Suns, Free Agency, Channing Frye, Lon Babby 

News of Channing Frye's medical condition has a lot of Suns fans worried he won't play again. But he's hoping it won't be too long before he's back in the game. “It's not a good situation but at the same time I do have hope,” said the Suns forward. Frye has just been diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy and it likely means he'll be sitting out the entire season. “I look at it as a rare opportunity to spend time with my family that I may not get again, especially with my kids so young, and see how everything goes behind the scenes especially during the season,” said Frye. azfamily.com

Phoenix Suns, Channing Frye, Injuries 

Chris Wilcox: Stay strong @Channing_Frye. Think positive and towards the future, this will be a minor setback. fb.me/13qRmk0rS Twitter

Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, Chris Wilcox, Channing Frye, Injuries 

Channing Frye: Thanks everyone for your support. I will be ok. It will pass and ill be back we have the best staff in the NBA helping me out. Twitter

Phoenix Suns, Channing Frye, Injuries 

Suns cardiologist Dr. Tim Byrne discovered that Frye, 29, had dilated cardiomyopathy and Frye underwent a battery of tests before visiting the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota on Wednesday for a final accord among more doctors. "It was very shocking and, at the same time, scary," Frye said. "It's not like an arm or knee or an elbow where you're like, 'Maybe I can just rehab this.' It's something that keeps you going. The only time you hear about things going on like that is (Boston's) Jeff Green getting open-heart surgery or (Sacramento's) Chuck Hayes getting a little scare." Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Channing Frye, Injuries 

Frye maintains optimism, looking forward to more time with his wife, Lauren, 2-year-old son, Hendrix, and 4-month-old daughter, Margeaux. "I'm definitely not done," Frye said. "When it's done and the doctors clear me, I'm going to get right back at it as if nothing's wrong. "You can't play scared. If you can't play scared, don't get out there. As soon as I get healthy, I'll be more determined to take advantage of the time I have out there." Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Channing Frye, Injuries 

Suns forward Channing Frye told azcentral sports that he will likely miss the 2012-13 season because of medical concerns. Frye developed a dilated cardiomyopathy, which is an enlarged heart. This was found during a routine preseason physical by Suns team cardiologist Dr. Tim Byrne. "The good news is it is a virus so it does have a good chance of going away," Frye said. "My heart can be normal again." Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Channing Frye, Injuries 

Paul Coro: Channing Frye is out indefinitely with an enlarged heart. He was at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota this week. More to come. Twitter

Phoenix Suns, Channing Frye, Injuries