Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson once asked, “Is this Heat era mildly disappointing, to an extent?” The Miami Heat is, by no account, a bad NBA franchise. However, the level at which the team was about a decade ago is more of a throwback tale these days. The league’s most prestigious honor has been out of their grasp since 2013. Many pin the blame on inadequate steps taken to put together a roster. From a squad consisting of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo to living in Miami itself, the Heat offers plenty to a new player or a veteran looking for a trade. But is it worth the drama?

Wolves’ Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi touched base on how Pat Riley publicly criticized Jimmy Butler. If that experience taught us anything about the Heat, it’s that the president does not mess around when he feels his players are wrong. While that factor may make him a standout leader, it would also prevent the acquisition of players who may not wish to be publicly called out.

“If that was any other team calling out the main guy, everyone make a way bigger deal about it,” Haghighi said on Off Guard. The hooper agreed with his co-host, and added “It’s not for everybody, and I think because of that, you know, when they try to get some of these big names in the free agency market, it can be a little more particular with some of these guys where they’re just like, ‘I don’t know if I want to go there.’”

Pat Riley’s criticism of his star player began when Jimmy Butler decided to troll the Celtics. While he wasn’t in the middle of the action due to a sprained knee, he still celebrated his team tying the score 1-1 with the eventual 2024 champions in the Eastern Conference series. He said, “If I was playing, Boston would be at home, New York damn sure would be at home. Josh Hart? C’mon man.”

Addressing the comments in a presser, the Pat Riley straightforwardly said, “If you’re not on the court playing against Boston, if you’re not on the court playing against the New York Knicks, you should keep your mouth shut in your criticism of those teams.”

Yikes!

The Butler-Riley incident was certainly an unprecedented one. Tensions between the management and the players have always existed in the NBA. After all, longtime fans would be well acquainted with the issues that arose between Magic Johnson and then Lakers HC Paul Westhead, aka Pat Riley’s predecessor. Hoops enthusiasts belonging to the MJ era, and those who watched ‘The Last Dance’ documentary, know just how His Airness and other players felt about former Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause.

The incident with the two valued Miami Heat members wasn’t on the same level as Riley was simply keeping his player in check. However, the public manner in which it occurred may have raised the question- if this can happen with their star player, then what’s stopping other players in the locker room from bearing the brunt?

Whether Riley’s remarks had an effect or not, but his franchise did not make too many additions in the off-season. The Heat was able to get their hands on Kel’el Ware in the first round of the 2024 draft, along with Pelle Larson and Josh Christopher through two-way contracts provided to each of them. On top of that, they got Terry Rozier to bring veteran scoring and playmaking to the backcourt. With no major star players coming their way, it remains to be seen how the minor improvements will help the franchise.

If there is one thing that both players and fans know, it is that Pat Riley will not change his serious demeanour. If Shaquille O’Neal had realized this back in the day, he may not have chosen to leave his team when the opportunity presented itself.

“Both styles can be effective, but….” Shaq tries to find ‘necessary humor’ in Pat Riley’s seriousness, comparing him to an NBA great

One coach led Magic Johnson to NBA championship titles, while another worked with Michael Jordan in the Bulls’s golden era. Shaq had the honor of being coached by both! As a result, he was in the right spot to comment on which instructor’s technique worked for him better. “I actually did my dissertation on this, the duality of leadership styles between humorous and seriousness,” he said on The OG Podcast.

“Pat was serious, all the way serious, right, and then what I realized when I was doin’ my research (was) you can’t be 100% one way, so I’ma give Pat 90-10. 90% serious and 10% humorous. Phil Jackson was probably about 70-30. 70% humorous and 30% seriousness. Both styles can be effective, but I think in the long run, if you have a little bit more humor, you can get more done.”

Phil Jackson was certainly an example of how coaching had different methods. He was always seen as a player-friendly coach and managing big star egos like Dennis Rodman, Kobe Bryant, and Shaq during the pinnacle of their NBA dynasties is no joke. Pat Riley, on the other hand, has found success with a particular personality, and he continues honing it, whether people like it or not. Therefore, if the Heat will win another title in the coming future, it may well be under his presidency.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.