Miami Heat president Pat Riley was surprised that LeBron James left but is moving on and expects the team to be competitive going forward. Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Miami Heat president Pat Riley was surprised that LeBron James left but is moving on and expects the team to be competitive going forward.
“I went into it with the notion he was coming back, so I was selling that to players,” Riley said during a conference call. “I let him know that. He never said, ‘Don’t do that.'”
James announced earlier this month that he was leaving Miami after four seasons to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Heat won two NBA titles and reached the NBA Finals each of the four years that the superstar forward was part of the team.
James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade opted out of the final two years of their contracts after the Heat lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the Finals to enter free agency. Wade and Bosh decided to return next season after James signed a two-year, $42 million contract with the Cavs.
Riley said James and his agent never misled the Heat into thinking he would return, but he didn’t have any indication that the four-time MVP would depart.
In addition to re-signing Wade and Bosh, the Heat have signed Luol Deng, Josh McRoberts and Danny Granger since the season ended. Riley also is bringing back Mario Chalmers, Udonis Haslem and Chris Andersen.
“No doubt we lost a great player,” Riley said. “I don’t get hurt. … The hurt didn’t last long. We picked up the phone and went to work. Sometimes, things happen that you don’t like, but you have to move on. I feel really good about where we are right now at this moment. I feel we are up to the challenge and will be as competitive as anyone in the Eastern Conference.”
The 69-year-old Riley is energized to keep the Heat among the NBA’s elite without James.
“This process didn’t take anything out of me,” he said. “That chain has been broken prematurely, but we’re going to try to make it a generational (team) again. We were always looking at 2016 to be a (major) player (in free agency).”
Riley acknowledged that once James committed to Cleveland he tried to go after free agent Carmelo Anthony, who ended up re-signing with the New York Knicks.
“That dance card has already been punched. We were a little bit late to that party,” Riley said.
