Pat Riley: LeBron's Departure 'Most Shocking' Event Of Heat Tenure

[RealGM Wiretap]

Pat Riley described LeBron James' decision to leave the Miami Heat to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014 as the biggest shock of his tenure.

Riley successfully signed James in 2010 and the team went to four straight Finals, winning two. Since James has left, the Cavaliers have reached the Finals in both seasons while Miami has rebuilt on the fly.

“Since I came here, we’ve had the same owner, same president, two coaches, same support staff,” Riley said. “We’ve got a bunch of guys working for us who played for us. Players come and go, great players. When LeBron left, that was the most shocking thing to me – not to say he was right or wrong – and the most shocking thing to the franchise. But our culture is the same. You have your up years and your down years, but what can’t change is the way you do things.”

Via Harvey Araton/The Vertical

[jamesnamida]

But it's not the 80s or 90s.
Lebron is a business man. He knows wade and bosh are getting worse.
Cleveland had kryie and young pieces that he knew would go for love before he signed.
Staying in Miami would mean no rings. Not good for his legacy.
Plus he repairs his relationship with Cleveland by going to a team with a better future. Win win.

[DoubleO8]

Riley talking his stuff lol. I personally found Wade leaving more shocking. Riley wanted him gone so not much of a shock for him

[mg]

Actually LeBron leaving the Cavs in 2010 was the bigger shock to me. Riley really shouldn't have been that shocked when Bron left in 2014.

[LuDux1]

Them apples

[Vibranium]

But it's not the 80s or 90s.
Lebron is a business man. He knows wade and bosh are getting worse.
Cleveland had kryie and young pieces that he knew would go for love before he signed.
Staying in Miami would mean no rings. Not good for his legacy.
Plus he repairs his relationship with Cleveland by going to a team with a better future. Win win.

People don't always think that complex just saying. These are just theories made up by some random dude who could just be browsing realgm like sites just like us.

[MaxRider]

I actually thought Heat winning the champ in 2006 is the biggest shock

[Clyde Frazier]

He should've known his customer. Calling lebron out publicly challenging him to do the right thing and come back was obviously the wrong strategy. He's not a "tough love" guy.

[rammagen]

I would have thought the players and the staff of the cheat not being brought up on collusion charges in the first place would have been a bigger shock

[GreenRiddler]

I actually thought Heat winning the champ in 2006 is the biggest shock

Touche.

[meekrab]

I would have thought the players and the staff of the cheat not being brought up on collusion charges in the first place would have been a bigger shock

Players can't "collude." They're allowed to talk to each other whenever they want.

[contract]

Riley talking his stuff lol. I personally found Wade leaving more shocking. Riley wanted him gone so not much of a shock for him

Who knew Pat was a passive aggressive little bitch?

[quatin]

Dig on Wade?

[eddie jerel]

Surprised the Press didn't remind Riley that Heat have had 3 HCs,but he never thought of Stan Van Gundy as one anyway. Just a placeholder until Riley got his fire to coach back.

[rammagen]

I would have thought the players and the staff of the cheat not being brought up on collusion charges in the first place would have been a bigger shock

Players can't "collude." They're allowed to talk to each other whenever they want.

you keep believing that I wondered who was going to be the first to question. There is federal law against it yes players can talk all they want but the can not conspire to play to together against the detriment of fair play, they actually could have been charge under a violation of the Rico act all it would have taken for this to charged was the Cavs pressing matters (Mike Vick was charged with this for the dog fighting), ever wonder how many number picks they received after Leflop left after yrs of not getting coming close to sniffing one (it would be 3 by the way after winning one in the previous 37+ yrs).
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collusion your definition
So the answer is players are allowed to collude as long as the team does not press for damages against the league. Never mind the fact the Cavs also had riley dead to rights while Leflop was under contract having dinner with him prior to his becoming cheat property
http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2010/07/inside_the_decision_miamis_cou.html

[meekrab]

I fail to see the similarity between Michael Vick running a criminal gambling enterprise with a side of animal cruelty and D Wade texting LeBron "yo lets sign up with CB someplace next year."

In the one case there's a plethora of state and federal crimes being committed, in the other, three guys stuck on average teams are trying to find an ownership group that wants to build a dynasty.

[RaptorRed]

I would have thought the players and the staff of the cheat not being brought up on collusion charges in the first place would have been a bigger shock

Players can't "collude." They're allowed to talk to each other whenever they want.

you keep believing that I wondered who was going to be the first to question. There is federal law against it yes players can talk all they want but the can not conspire to play to together against the detriment of fair play, they actually could have been charge under a violation of the Rico act all it would have taken for this to charged was the Cavs pressing matters (Mike Vick was charged with this for the dog fighting), ever wonder how many number picks they received after Leflop left after yrs of not getting coming close to sniffing one (it would be 3 by the way after winning one in the previous 37+ yrs).
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collusion your definition
So the answer is players are allowed to collude as long as the team does not press for damages against the league. Never mind the fact the Cavs also had riley dead to rights while Leflop was under contract having dinner with him prior to his becoming cheat property
http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2010/07/inside_the_decision_miamis_cou.html

lay off those drugs

[bqmuzik]

Actually LeBron leaving the Cavs in 2010 was the bigger shock to me. Riley really shouldn't have been that shocked when Bron left in 2014.

Exactly! He acts like he had Lebron there for 15+ seasons and he was married to the organization. It was strictly business for Lebron. He got what he came for and for the fans to be mad at him was so hypocritical considering how he left Cleveland.

The ironic thing is that the Cavs really struggle anytime they play in Miami

[We Are Groot]

... guys just don't tell their teams they're leaving ... what do they stand to lose? media spotlight i guess - if i remember correctly this was part of the reason why Riles was riled LeBron gave no indication he was leaving. i remember Riley saying something about fake smiles or sumn like that.

if players really care for the teams they're leaving (not to mention the city/community), isn't letting them know you intend to leave the right thing to do? it gives the organization a chance for a fall-back plan. even if you're leaving a crap job that was a bad situation the whole time u were there, the 'professional' thing to do would be to give your 2 weeks before you're going to leave. burning bridges is always a bad thing in that situation.

i can understand if a guy really isn't sure; but let's face it, we all knew, just like LeBron knew, way back in 2010 that he was going back to Cleveland (i DO think so) eventually ... this was always the plan

and to the troll trying to sound smarter than he really is (rico??!!?? really?!? waiting to see who wld be the 1st to respond, lol) just stop ... please. you're only making it worse.

[contract]

I would have thought the players and the staff of the cheat not being brought up on collusion charges in the first place would have been a bigger shock

Players can't "collude." They're allowed to talk to each other whenever they want.

you keep believing that I wondered who was going to be the first to question. There is federal law against it yes players can talk all they want but the can not conspire to play to together against the detriment of fair play, they actually could have been charge under a violation of the Rico act all it would have taken for this to charged was the Cavs pressing matters (Mike Vick was charged with this for the dog fighting), ever wonder how many number picks they received after Leflop left after yrs of not getting coming close to sniffing one (it would be 3 by the way after winning one in the previous 37+ yrs).
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collusion your definition
So the answer is players are allowed to collude as long as the team does not press for damages against the league. Never mind the fact the Cavs also had riley dead to rights while Leflop was under contract having dinner with him prior to his becoming cheat property
http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2010/07/inside_the_decision_miamis_cou.html

You're so wrong it's not even funny. Players can openly recruit each other. There's no NBA rule against it, and there sure as hell isn't any law against it.

That's like saying that workers could get prosecuted under the Rico Act for collective bargaining.