Few have accomplished as much in the NBA — or just the sport of basketball, really — as Miami Heat president Pat Riley. From capturing a title alongside the likes of Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor as a player to coaching the Los Angeles Lakers and Heat to additional titles and the rings he later added as an exec through the acquisition of players like Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James, Riley is in rarefied air as a hardwood winner.
At some point, though, that next chapter has to come. Riley may have attained roundball deity status, but he’s also a 77-year-old man with a wife, adult children and grandkids. When asked about retirement following Miami’s near-miss in the East Finals last June, however, the Godfather rebuffed the notion. As he sees it, there’s still a job left to do.
“I definitely feel an obligation to finish this build,” Riley declared, via ESPN.
Even now, amid a less-than-spectacular season to date, a rival GM says that Riley likely remains intent on seeing this iteration of the Heat through to its end (whether a title is actually in its future or not).
East GM: Pat Riley Wants ‘Another Bite at the Apple’ With the Heat
Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney spoke with an Eastern Conference GM recently in an effort to take stock of Riley’s thought process amid Miami’s 29-24 record and the sizable gap that exists between where they are now and where they were last season. And, as the GM sees it, Riley is probably still laser-focused on bringing the Larry back to South Beach.
“It is more of a case where the fact that they’re close, or they see themselves as close, that is driving Pat to stay up and involved as much as he is. If they were a bad team, he might decide to leave it to someone else. He wants another bite at the apple, though, that is his personality,” opined the GM.
“That could change at any moment, of course, but this is a team that was within one shot of the Finals last year, that went to the Finals three years ago.”
Per the GM, the Heat may be what their record says they are — a team that’s missing some of the ingredients needed to actually make a real run. But that doesn’t mean that Riley and his brain trust aren’t still trying to make things happen.
“It is easy to find some weak spots in that roster, but you should not assume that Pat Riley and [Heat GM Andy Elisburg] and all those guys see it that way.”
DJ Stewart Namechecked as Heat’s Top G League Prospect
Bleacher Report‘s Jonathan Wasserman reemerged on Friday with his list of the top developmental prospects for each of the G League’s clubs. For the Heat’s affiliate squad, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the longtime league analyst landed on 23-year-old wing DJ Stewart, writing:
He’s delivered a well-rounded mix of self-creation, one-on-one shot-making and explosive finishes. And at 6’6″ with some shiftiness off the dribble and confidence hitting pull-ups, step-backs and fallaways, Stewart could possess enough physical/athletic traits and skill for NBA scoring.
Improving his three-point consistency will be key, considering he’d have to adjust to playing more off the ball if called up. He’s currently an unrestricted free agent, but that could change if he keeps producing and creating highlight reels that showcase a balanced dose of perimeter, in-between and slashing offense.
Stewart is averaging 22.1 points and 3.2 assists through 30 appearances with Sioux Falls.
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Rival GM Sounds Off on Pat Riley’s Long-Term Future as Heat Boss