Riley Out, Spoelstra In

[miamivice]

i have a lot of mixed feelings about this. i don't think anyone who replaces riley will immediately be as good as him. it's going to be somewhat of a deterrent in free agent acquisitions. it signals a rebuilding process on all levels which pushes contention prospects back a bit further. and, it's sad that riley had to go out like this. of course he might come back and steal the team from his replacement when we look legit; but, that feels less likely now that he has already come out of retirement once. it will be exciting to see how the heat is experimented with and rejigged with fresh eyes and a new perspective...

[magicfan4life05]

do you guys think this is the last time we see riley coaching or is there a chance he might coach wade one last time in wade last year or something?

[Lane1974]

Spoelstra has been credited with helping All-Star guard Dwyane Wade develop his now steady jump shot, among other things. Sometimes Wade would knock on Spoelstra's office window and they'd work together privately for hours.

"He shows the same thing I want," Wade said last year. "I want to have the best pull-up in the game and he wants me to have the best pull-up in the game. He wants to work with me just as bad as I want to work on my jumper." Spoelstra is favorite among players.

"He just has a basketball mind," center Alonzo Mourning said last year. "He has a nose for the game, you might say. Great Xs and Os guy." Spoelstra has been considered Riley's successor since last season. That was when rumors circulated Riley would soon resign and name former Memphis coach Mike Fratello as the next Heat coach. Riley vehemently denied that rumor and saying the Heat's next coach was on his staff, adding there were guys who had been with him for 11 years.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/heat/conte ... 8heat.html

[Miami's Finest]

I think Spoelstra is riskier than SVG certainly and even JVG. Jeff had assistant positions for many different coaches at different levels, and came from a coaching family. Spoelstra only has been a video coordinator for the Heat before becoming Riley's assistant and I believe his dad was not a coaching guy but an executive/marketing guy in the NBA. But as Lane said he's been at the teet of Riley for some time now and it's proven to be very fruitful lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5h9bK6ajIE

[Lane1974]

I just like saying "teet"

[theFRANCHISE]

not a big shock, I think his style of coaching actually turned some free agents away from signing here (with the practices and such) he brought a title to MIA but change was needed

[Lane1974]

interesting that Spoelstra specifically thanked Micky Arison AND Nick Arison (his son)

[Lane1974]

sounds like McAdoo, Rothstein, and Askins are staying, Spoelstra referenced them

[Lane1974]

Riles teased Ira about his question if he is retired for good
said something like "only Ira....."

Spoelstra seems to be a good communicator

[Miami's Finest]

I loved that Ira moment Riley bust out laughing

[cold5]

Riles still has a role with this club. He won't be afraid to make any major trades, signings, or firing. There is always a chance he could take over as coach in the middle of the season.

[magicfan4life05]

when someone asked are you gonna keep the same philopshy and culture like defense first, and perimeter based or "get a center" and he smiled


beasely?

[salqaddoumi]

YES YES YES

This is great news to start the offseason with. I love Riles but his time as a coach is done, he needs to concentrate on the front office. No more 10 hour midnight practices that injure half our roster either.

[Lane1974]

Spoelstra soundbites:

"I'm a product of the Miami Heat (Riley) culture and philosophy, I have no shame in saying that"

"Dwyane called me and congratulated me, said he is excited"

"defensively we won't change philosophy, we haven't changed over the 13 years and we trust our system"

"make some tweaks as the game changes and evolves"

"offensively, our system depends on personnel, we have a young, athletic, quick core group of guys (named specifically Dwyane, Dorrell, Daequan, Shawn), when healthy we can play at a quicker tempo and pace as long as it is efficient, attack earlier in the clock"

[CRHeel94]

Good stuff. Any links to the press conference?

[Lane1974]

I think heat.com has it

[Lane1974]

as Micky gets older, he looks more and more like the magnate he is

suntanned, shaggy hair, open collared shirt

[GameTime_3]

I like Erick but i was hopeing to wait to name a HC. If avery johnson gets fired, i was hoping we would get him. "In Riley We Trust"

[Lane1974]

it's obvious Riley wanted to keep it in-house, someone with his philosophy and culture

Spoelstra and Riley said he had been approached with offers to coach elsewhere as an assistant or better salary, he always turned it down, he loves the Heat family

[CoolD]

This kind of caught me by suprise. I thought Riley was going to gut it out for at least one more year. I thought all the reports about him retiring was a lot speculation. Am not sure how I feel about this guy Spoelstra. He just looks to young. But the guy kind of thinks like me, he wants to speed up the offensive tempo. He wants Derrick Rose from that comment that is my opinion. That was the same problem as of late I had with Riley. We were getting our offense started to slow, and in today's NBA you need to at least by more of fast treat. Even the Spurs had to adjust a couple years ago, to a certain degree.

Just hope this guy has the right instincts. Will see.