As rumors continue to swirl around LeBron James‘ free agency, Miami Heat president Pat Riley spoke about one of the biggest moments in franchise history: LeBron James‘ sudden exit from the Heat in 2014. Riley also made it clear that any decision on a possible reunion will be ultimately up to the four-time NBA champion.
Appearing on The Dan Le Batard Show, Riley spoke about his current relationship with LeBron, admitting the two haven’t spoken much over the years, but said there are no hard feelings.
“It’s a dozen years. It’s just thought. You know, I’ve seen him at championship fights. I’ve seen him around, you know, run into him at All-Star Games. We had a great embrace when they honored me with a statue out there, you know, seeing he and Savannah, you know, in the stands at certain things.”
“She’s always been a really gracious, wonderful person. And LeBron and I, you know, we haven’t talked much, but you let go of that stuff, you know. I mean, I was very disappointed because I thought we were looking at a dynasty or something dynastic, and we now had a chance to add other players to it in ’14. And when he left, it was very, very disappointing.”
“Absolutely, and I don’t want to hang on to that, you know. I want to see him somewhere on the golf course one day, even though I don’t play golf, you know, or something, or see him somewhere and not be able to go up to a guy that, you know, that I developed a great relationship with, and all the people that were around him, and we celebrated together. I see pictures over in Championship Valley of us hugging and pouring champagne on each other’s heads. Those are moments that are etched in your mind forever.”
“And because somebody leaves you, because he wanted to go back to Cleveland for the right reasons, I think, you know, I mean, that’s his hometown. He’d left them. There was a lot of controversy, and I think that was the right move if he was going to go somewhere.”
“If he went somewhere else, I maybe got more upset, but he went home, and he got that scarlet letter off his back, you know, because a lot of people were angry up there. And he won that back. Four trips to the Finals, they won a world championship, and then it was okay. You know, mea culpa, I came back.”
Riley has admitted multiple times that LeBron’s departure was one of the most disappointing moments during his time with the Heat. LeBron spent four seasons with the Heat from 2010 to 2014, helping the Heat become the most dominant team during that period. Next to Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, LeBron reached four straight NBA Finals, won two titles, two Finals MVP awards, along with two MVP awards.
But Riley has understood why LeBron chose to leave. LeBron wanted to come back to Cleveland, mend old wounds and win a title for his hometown team. Riley admitted it was the right move for LeBron to make.
Now, LeBron is on the open market again after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers; the Heat have emerged as one of the leading contenders to sign him. Riley even made a public pitch to LeBron when the Heat were unveiling Giannis Antetokounmpo. But speaking on the show, Riley said that the franchise wasn’t trying to pressure the four-time champion into making a decision.
“I really don’t, I can’t, I have nothing, as I think probably, you know, everybody else that had an opportunity to talk with him, are just sort of waiting, you know, from that standpoint. So this is a man’s decision, and you let him make that decision. He has the right to do that, and so I’m not calling Rich every day and bugging him. He’ll make a decision.”
Pat Riley even dropped another hint about how serious the Heat are about LeBron, as he stated the Heat’s desire to add another playmaker.
“Everybody talks about shooting. That’s not the main priority right now. It’s another real playmaker, you know.”
Whether the playmaker they add ends up being LeBron James is yet to be seen. For now, Riley is choosing patience as the rest of the NBA world waits for one of the biggest free agency decisions in recent NBA history.
