Riles is something else. I cheered for the Showtime Lakers to beat the Celts. I hated his "Uglyball" Knicks. I despised his early Heat teams more than I can describe here. I shook my head in disbelief when he completely shook up and revamped the Heat's roster after they went to the ECFs (where they would have won if Wade hadn't got hurt). The next season when he dumped SVG and came back to the bench, my dislike for Riles was at an all-time high. But when he cracked the whip, ratcheted up the intensity, pushed his players to the limit and coached his revamped roster to an NBA championship (#6 for him), I couldn't help but say Riles is one of the best ever. If there is anyone who can't put a team around their big 3 that is championship-worthy, Pat Riley is the one. You people that think LeBron is an egomaniac need to read up on Riles. He is also a control freak to the Nth degree. More than Pop. Waaaay more than JVG. But he knows how to succeed in the NBA and win the confidence of guys like Wade (who knows him very well) and LeBron. Wait and see what their roster looks like going into training camp before drawing conclusions they can't win it all this year. Riles may be too old to return the bench, but if he does (whatever the supposed rationale), it will be a very very bad sign for the rest of the NBA.
Gotta give Riley his props. Some teams have been tanking and mortgaging their futures for this summer. Riley got under the cap without giving up much and managed to get the 3 best players available.
Riley is great and everything, but why is he getting credit for getting Lebron? (or Bosh?) I'll give him credit for getting under the cap enough so those players can sign with the Heat, but those 3 players schemed on their own.
Yeah, he's something else. It's hard not to respect a guy who's won wherever he's gone, won by hook or by crook, took the talent he had and changed his system to fit it. Didn't work? He's ruthless about making it work. One thing you can say about Riley is that he had immense respect for Hakeem. He showed it during that series with LA early in Dream's career, when he made the focus of his defense stopping him, up to and including goading Olajuwon into getting tossed in the game Ralph won with The Shot. Damn, Riles has to be getting up there now. He's got another championship run or two in him and I seriously can't see him not coaching this Heat team, eventually. He won't be able to help himself. It'll be fun to watch. (and I'll boo James every chance I get)
This really isn't Riley's greatest GM feat. He was infamous in the late 90's and early 2000's for trading away crap and receiving talent. Anyone remember the awesome Pat Riley internet trade simulator?
If he can secure 8-10 players with $10 million or less then I'll throw him a parade. Even Reddick won't sign with this team.
