Pat Riley is one of the most respected names in the basketball world, and he certainly has plenty experience when it comes to winning NBA Championships.
He won one title as a player, one as an assistant coach, he is a five-time champion head coach, and earned a pair of championship rings during his long tenure in the Miami Heat’s front office.
Miami was largely inconsistent throughout the 2022-23 regular season, and secured the eight and final playoff spot. The team ultimately became on the second No. 8 seed in NBA history to advance to the championship series.
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Miami Heat president Pat Riley walks by the court before the start of game two of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden on May 02, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
But Riley, who oversees the Heat’s basketball operations, still has the disappointing lost in this year’s NBA Finals stuck in his mind.
HEAT’S PAT RILEY, 77, HAS NO PLANS TO RETIRE, SAYS HE COULD DO MORE PUSH-UPS THAN REPORTER
During his annual end-of-season review on Tuesday, the 78-year-old Riley reflected on the unique year and insisted that if there is a way to get better this summer, the Heat will do it.
“Another championship team, that’s my goal,” Riley said. “I have no other plans other than to do that.”
Retirement was not discussed during Riley’s 35-minute session with reporters; he’s shown no signs of slowing down and there’s been no talk of any exit strategies for Riley who has been part of nine NBA championships — three in Miami.
Miami Heat president Pat Riley gestures as he speaks during an end of season NBA basketball news conference, Tuesday, June 20, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
The Heat were involved in the trade talks over the weekend that ultimately resulted in Bradley Beal waiving his no-trade clause to go from Washington to Phoenix, a deal that’s still awaiting final approvals from all sides and the NBA. And if Portland’s Damian Lillard decides he wants a trade, it’s a poorly kept secret that Miami would be more than willing to talk to the perennial All-Star and gauge his interest in joining the Heat.
Riley, by league rule, cannot talk about players under contract elsewhere. But his approach every summer is to find the player or players who can bring Miami closer to a title. That won’t change this summer, and he doesn’t think the current roster has to be decimated to make change happen either.
“We’re not going to take a wrecking ball to this thing,” Riley said, channeling the lyrics of his friend Bruce Springsteen, whom he quotes often.
“Good times come, good times come. Hard times come, hard times come. We’re not going to take a wrecking ball to a good team that had some real adversity this year. We had a good team, probably a great team. We wouldn’t have as gotten as far as we have, and there’s no caveat in any of that, if you weren’t a great team.”
Erik Spoelstra and Pat Riley of the Miami Heat talk during 2023 NBA Finals Practice and Media Availability on June 3, 2023 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Riley raved about Jimmy Butler, who just finished his fourth season in Miami — “he’s a whole different bag of tricks, let me tell you, and love him to death,” Riley said — and spoke at length about the continued evolution of Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro from late-lottery picks to integral parts of the Heat plan.
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There’s a No. 18 pick in Thursday’s draft to add, then free agency awaits a week later. If a move presents itself, Riley is ready to pounce. If not, he won’t panic.
“Persistence and perseverance has been something that’s been part of my life forever. Just has been,” Riley said. “And patience is the last thing that came with it. And so, we’re going to show some patience here instead of react without knowing what the consequences could be in doing something. So right now, this is what we have.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
