Miami Heat president Pat Riley put out a statement on Monday upon hearing the news of Elgin Baylor’s death. The two men were teammates on the Los Angeles Lakers and then crossed paths later in life as NBA front-office executives. Baylor was 86 years old.
Baylor was an 11-time NBA All-Star but never won a championship. Riley got to Los Angeles at the tail end of his historic career, teaming up with Baylor in 1970 and 1971. Obviously, the 6-foot-5 forward made a lasting impression on him.
Riley said: “Besides being one of the greatest players in the history of the game, Elgin Baylor was one of the classiest, most dignified men of integrity I have ever met. He will be missed.”
Baylor has another Miami Heat connection and it’s a dubious one since it involves a trade that never happened. He had orchestrated a deal sending Danny Manning to the Heat for Willie Burton and Glen Rice in 1993 while serving as general manager for the Los Angeles Clippers. Then, Clippers owner Donald Sterling pulled out of the deal at the final hour, per the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The gaffe turned fortuitous for the Heat as Riley later included Rice in the package to acquire Alonzo Mourning from the Charlotte Hornets in 1995.
Pat Riley, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, tutti nella stessa squadra.. Piango male.. @AirYvan24
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Pat Riley Reacts to Death of Legendary Ex-Lakers Teammate