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Ohm Youngmisuk
Multiple Authors
Miami Heat president Pat Riley made it clear that he is not retiring or resigning and that he remains as committed as ever to leading the franchise to its fourth championship.
“I’m not going to retire. I’m not going to resign,” Riley, 81, told reporters at his annual end of the season news conference in Miami. “I’m not going to step aside. When I came here almost 31 years ago, I have the same attitude as I had in that press conference on the [cruise ship] Imagination. Period. I want another parade down Biscayne Boulevard. It may come. It may not.
“It has always been my desire to win, to win big. I’m not going down that road talking about [retiring]. I just clarified it’s not going to happen unless something happens that I can’t control.”
The Heat missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2018-19 season when they lost, 127-126 in overtime, to the Charlotte Hornets in the 9-10 play-in game Apr. 14. It was the fourth consecutive season Miami has started the postseason in the play-in.
Riley vowed that he will never change his approach, saying that his only focus is on winning and improving the Heat and that he will never tank for assets.
“We are in a period right now, you don’t make radical changes right now, not in my philosophy,” Riley said. “I am not going to tank. We are not going to lose. We are not going into the lottery and do that insanity because I will quit — if I ever get ordered to go down that road. I am always thinking of ways to win.
“Now all I can give you is a bunch of excuses. And I don’t want to do that. We are just not good enough. We are not happy with it. This is the first time in those three years that we have an opportunity to do something with our roster, with our flexibility, with our players.”
The Heat have a lottery pick for the first time since 2018. Norman Powell, who became a first-time All-Star, will be a free agent, and Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. are eligible for extensions. Andrew Wiggins also has a $30.2 million player option.
Riley said the Heat will be aggressive in upgrading the roster this summer, when trade talks could heat up surrounding Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo. Riley, though, will not entertain trading his best player, Bam Adebayo, in any deal to improve the franchise. Adebayo, the prototypical Heat culture product, is coming off his ninth season, one that included an 83-point explosion against Washington on March 10.
When asked about if the Heat could do something similar to teams like Atlanta, Indiana and Toronto — franchises that traded their best player in deals that attempted to make their respective teams better — Riley asked for the specifics of what those teams did. Atlanta traded Trae Young; Indiana dealt Domantas Sabonis; and Toronto moved Pascal Siakam.
“They’re not Bam,” Riley replied. “I don’t think they are. Not in my opinion anyhow. Especially with your franchise pillar, anchor-maker, culture-carrier and a talented guy.
“… I am not saying that something would happen, but I want to build this around Bam… I am just going to give you a flat-out no, I wouldn’t do that. Unless somebody gave me eight picks and [San Antonio’s Victor] Wembanyama.”
Riley confirmed that Herro, who played in just 33 games this season due to injuries, underwent a “preemptive procedure” on his foot but will be ready to return for camp.
“It’s unfortunate what happened with Tyler this year,” Riley said. “He’s having a procedure done, preemptive procedure done, which is good. He’ll be ready to go, I think, by July. So he’s got more than enough time ahead of training camp.”
As far as a possible extension for the guard, Riley said the organization will have “to show a level of discipline in extending out contracts that are big-money contracts.”
“We all know what Tyler can do,” Riley said. “But as far as locking ourselves up with anybody right now, I think having good, honest discussions with their agents about next year is what’s on the table for us.”
Riley also confirmed that he does not have final say on decisions, something he said he has deferred to ownership in the past, and remarked: “Quite frankly, I don’t think I want it. I don’t have the ego to have to have it.”
“I love this franchise, period,” Riley said. “I love what we’ve built here over 30 years. One day it [retirement] will happen. Don’t think that I haven’t thought about it. I’ve thought about it. I’m aging up. I’m at 81 years old now. That’s aging up. I think Micky and Nick [Arison] will decide whether or not I age out; leave that to them. But I love what I’m doing.”
What Riley despises is not winning at a championship level. He says the Heat will do everything they can in a pivotal summer to upgrade the team.
“I’m really pissed,” Riley said. “I’m disappointed. Disgruntled. Just like everybody else in the organization that understands what we are about — about winning. The last three or four years, with exception of the ’23 season when we got all the way to the Finals, has been something that I am not, we are not proud of.
“Always trying to compete at the highest levels… We are always going to try to win. If we are competing for the last spot in the play-in, we will fight to the very last breath.”
