Riley: You Have To Stay Together If You Have The Guts

Post #1 » by **RealGM Wiretap** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 3:14 pm

Pat Riley addressed the media on Thursday following the end of the Miami Heat season.

Riley first began by talking about how so many of the great teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics of the 1980s, Chicago Bulls of the 1990s, San Antonio Spurs of the late 1990s to present and Los Angeles Lakers of the late 1990s to the present have finished more seasons without a title than winning one.

"You have to stay together if you have the guts," said Riley. And you don't find the first door and run out of it."

LeBron James has the ability to become a free agent this summer, which puts the future of the Heat on uncertain footing.

"We need to re-tool. We don't need to rebuild," said Riley.

The Heat have won two titles and lost two others since James joined the franchise along with Chris Bosh.

Via RealGM Staff Report

devilsace · Post #2 » by **devilsace** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 3:18 pm

If you have to stay together if you have the guts, Why did Lebron leave cleveland?...This is just BS from a guy trying to convince the best player to stay

Rated T By CBRA · Post #3 » by **Rated T By CBRA** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 3:20 pm

devilsace wrote:If you have to stay together if you have the guts, Why did Lebron leave cleveland?...This is just BS from a guy trying to convince the best player to stay

Not BS - this is strategic wording/press conferencing in an attempt to keep his guys together. Pat Riley knows what he is doing - will he be successful? We have yet to see, but if history tells us anything he knows how to manage personnel.

r15mohd · Post #4 » by **r15mohd** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 3:30 pm

devilsace wrote:If you have to stay together if you have the guts, Why did Lebron leave cleveland?...This is just BS from a guy trying to convince the best player to stay

how long do you wait to move up working a dead end job...Lebron gave 6-7 over-exceeding yrs in CLE without the adequate resources in return by the Cavs org. that has noting to do with guts, it's taking your personal worth to somewhere best suited and beneficial. :crazy:

not to mention, by the summer of 2010, the only move the Cavs had made was firing Mike Brown...who wasn't the issue, it was another reliable producer alongside Lebron needed, not a new coach.

devinbrady · Post #5 » by **devinbrady** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 3:37 pm

Riley saying something like that publicly can only tell you one thing and that is they know LBJ is on his way out. He is already sounding as pathetic and bitter as Dilbert from Clevleand. Riley, maybe you should put up some billboards like the Lakers did when trying to get Howard to stay. Attacking his character isn't going to get it done. Game Over!

r15mohd · Post #6 » by **r15mohd** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 3:47 pm

devinbrady wrote:Riley saying something like that publicly can only tell you one thing and that is they know LBJ is on his way out. He is already sounding as pathetic and bitter as Dilbert from Clevleand. Riley, maybe you should put up some billboards like the Lakers did when trying to get Howard to stay. Attacking his character isn't going to get it done. Game Over!

that could be...making up ground ahead of time and if so, it'll just leave Miami with plenty cap space to make up for Lebron's absence. another max player, or two really good star-caliber players, can head to South beach!

Gordon Hayward/Luol Deng/Avery Bradley
&
Greg Munroe

wajr · Post #7 » by **wajr** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 3:47 pm

That's funny. Didn't Lebron bolt on Cleveland?

I guess Riley wasn't worried about his guts at that point.

I hope Lebron leaves Miami hanging out to dry like he did CLE.

r15mohd · Post #8 » by **r15mohd** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 3:51 pm

wajr wrote:That's funny. Didn't Lebron bolt on Cleveland?

I guess Riley wasn't worried about his guts at that point.

I hope Lebron leaves Miami hanging out to dry like he did CLE.

difference btwn Miami and Cleveland is Miami isn't making it a hope/prayer thing for Lebron to return...there aren't many other teams that could offer what Miami can, not to mention having Bosh/Wade to still be a mediocre team if Lebron leaves and no major signings happen.

Cleveland had all their eggs in one-basket for Lebron and gave him no valid reason to re-sign to the Cavs org...this year he does have reason to head back to Cleveland tho, a young and very talented team.

anrichardson · Post #9 » by **anrichardson** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 4:04 pm

So what were the Heat before the big 3. Nothing. And well be nothing again if LBJ leaves.

NBADraft2003 · Post #10 » by **NBADraft2003** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 4:08 pm

wajr wrote:That's funny. Didn't Lebron bolt on Cleveland?

I guess Riley wasn't worried about his guts at that point.

I hope Lebron leaves Miami hanging out to dry like he did CLE.

Cleveland was depending on LeBron way past basketball, they lost a lot of money when he left. So really, you're statement is stupid.

NBADraft2003 · Post #11 » by **NBADraft2003** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 4:10 pm

anrichardson wrote:So what were the Heat before the big 3. Nothing. And well be nothing again if LBJ leaves.

Champions then the injury bug hit and key players got old, but I have a question for you. What were the Bulls since MJ left? Nothing.

pogiro · Post #12 » by **pogiro** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 4:11 pm

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lol:

esample · Post #13 » by **esample** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 4:11 pm

Cleveland kept trying to sign the best free agents they could get to help James and the team. Cleveland had the second highest payroll in the league in James' last year there. Many free agents passed on Cleveland (like Trevor Ariza) because James wouldn't commit past 2010. The wasted draft picks by Ferry's predecessor and the Boozer fiasco hamstrung the team into trying to improve through trades and free agency. I think Jamison could've helped get the team over the hump the next year if James had stayed.

Wade asked Miami to get him some help after the 2009 season, but the team flat out told him no. They didn't want to take any long term contracts. Nobody remembers that Miami went 15-67 in 2007-08. Can you imagine if Cleveland had followed the same course as Miami, and refused to sign anyone in the hope they could get one of the 2010 free agents, in spite of what James wanted?

PrecociousNeoph · Post #14 » by **PrecociousNeoph** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 4:14 pm

"You have to stay together if you have the guts," said Riley. "And you don't find the first door and run out of it."

i'm going to assume that i don't need to further illustrate the irony here

NBADraft2003 · Post #15 » by **NBADraft2003** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 4:17 pm

esample wrote:Cleveland kept trying to sign the best free agents they could get to help James and the team. Cleveland had the second highest payroll in the league in James' last year there. Many free agents passed on Cleveland (like Trevor Ariza) because James wouldn't commit past 2010. The wasted draft picks by Ferry's predecessor and the Boozer fiasco hamstrung the team into trying to improve through trades and free agency. I think Jamison could've helped get the team over the hump the next year if James had stayed.

Wade asked Miami to get him some help after the 2009 season, but the team flat out told him no. They didn't want to take any long term contracts. Nobody remembers that Miami went 15-67 in 2007-08. Can you imagine if Cleveland had followed the same course as Miami, and refused to sign anyone in the hope they could get one of the 2010 free agents, in spite of what James wanted?

Miami never told Wade no. In the 2009 offseason, we went after Lamar Odom but he returned to LA, we went after Boozer is multiple scenarios but Utah said they wanted to keep him, and after that during the 09/10 season we went after Amare and Antawn but a deal never came. Cleveland messed their 2010 cap space up during that '09 offseason.

dannyh8181 · Post #16 » by **dannyh8181** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 4:23 pm

devinbrady wrote:Riley saying something like that publicly can only tell you one thing and that is they know LBJ is on his way out. He is already sounding as pathetic and bitter as Dilbert from Clevleand. Riley, maybe you should put up some billboards like the Lakers did when trying to get Howard to stay. Attacking his character isn't going to get it done. Game Over!

Haha jesus your an idiot.

Donnyxc · Post #17 » by **Donnyxc** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 4:23 pm

I don't know. These sound like desperation words. You won two championships, had a great run. But what do you have that realistically will keep LeBron come July 1st?

dannyh8181 · Post #18 » by **dannyh8181** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 4:25 pm

Donnyxc wrote:I don't know. These sound like desperation words. You won two championships, had a great run. But what do you have that realistically will keep LeBron come July 1st?

When the big 3 all opts out, Miami will have the most cap space in the NBA, allowing them to pursue a multitude of options.

Donnyxc · Post #19 » by **Donnyxc** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 4:27 pm

dannyh8181 wrote:
Donnyxc wrote:I don't know. These sound like desperation words. You won two championships, had a great run. But what do you have that realistically will keep LeBron come July 1st?

When the big 3 all opts out, Miami will have the most cap space in the NBA, allowing them to pursue a multitude of options.

When the big 3 all opts out, Miami will lose the best player in the world. Not a great position to be in, there's no leverage to lose the best player and gain a lot of money. No current Superstar will want to sign a max contract there.

r15mohd · Post #20 » by **r15mohd** » Thu Jun 19, 2014 4:28 pm

esample wrote:Cleveland kept trying to sign the best free agents they could get to help James and the team. Cleveland had the second highest payroll in the league in James' last year there. Many free agents passed on Cleveland (like Trevor Ariza) because James wouldn't commit past 2010. The wasted draft picks by Ferry's predecessor and the Boozer fiasco hamstrung the team into trying to improve through trades and free agency. I think Jamison could've helped get the team over the hump the next year if James had stayed.

Wade asked Miami to get him some help after the 2009 season, but the team flat out told him no. They didn't want to take any long term contracts. Nobody remembers that Miami went 15-67 in 2007-08. Can you imagine if Cleveland had followed the same course as Miami, and refused to sign anyone in the hope they could get one of the 2010 free agents, in spite of what James wanted?

Riley's plan for the Miami team was for the Heat to tank and be ready for all the FA available for the 2010 season. Wade could do as much as he could with the mediocre squad but Riley was NOT signing anyone to jeopardize 2010 FA...it thoroughly explains no major contracts on the books for summer 2010. Riley had all intention on making a blockbuster deal that summer and he did. Had nothing to do with Wade saying no and wanting help...Riley gave him the gameplan and Wade stuck it through to see it in fruition.