The Miami Heat’s postseason ended on a sour note, would be putting it mildly. They didn’t just lose—they got absolutely steamrolled. The Cleveland Cavaliers made quick work of them, sweeping the series and leaving little room for hope. It wasn’t even close. From the start, it was clear the Cavs were just sharper, faster, and, frankly, better.

While Pat Riley did pull some strings during the season to boost the roster, it clearly wasn’t enough. Fans were quick to raise eyebrows—and voices—as the Heat’s playoff dreams faded out with barely a fight.

Still, the front office isn’t waving the white flag just yet. In fact, Bam Adebayo sounds like a man who knows something’s brewing behind closed doors. “There are going to be a lot of changes this summer, understanding how the guy with the silver hair works. Be prepared for that,” he said after Game 4. Notably, Heat legend Gary Payton is also reading between the lines and expecting a full shakeup. If anyone knows Riley’s playbook, it’s the guys who’ve played for him.

“They’re going to have to give up a lot of their players, and they’re going to have to restart Chad,” he said in Nightcap. He didn’t sugarcoat it either: “If Miami give up anybody, they’re going to give away their whole team.” Though he doubts Riley will touch core pieces like Tyler Herro, he’s convinced big moves are coming. “Yeah, he’ll fool around and do that,” Payton added.

Moreover, Payton feels Riley might go rogue this time. “Right now this era is a lot different man… They controlling things in this little era, right?” he said, suggesting Riley might abandon his old-school blueprint.

“So what’s going to happen is that Pat gonna try to get right, but he got to get that player that’s going to be really to do whatever,” Payton predicted. Riley might ditch Heat culture to chase wins. But before we get there, let’s look at how Miami’s season crumbled at the hands of the Cavs.

How did it go so wrong for Pat Riley’s Heat?

To be fair, things were already looking grim for the Miami Heat after Game 3. But whatever slim hope fans held onto vanished by Game 4 — and not quietly. The Cavaliers didn’t just win; they demolished. Miami fell 138-83 in Cleveland, ending their season on a blowout so bad, it smashed the record books. That 55-point loss now stands as the worst in Heat playoff history. And yes, it topped the already ugly 37-point loss just two nights earlier.

What made it worse? The total margin across all four games hit 122 points, making it the most lopsided playoff series in NBA history. Even Tyler Herro couldn’t sugarcoat it. “We definitely didn’t expect this,” he said post-game. “Tough last two games for us. … No excuses for it. It’s embarrassing. Definitely humbling. There’s a lot of work to be put in.” The Heat didn’t just lose; they got buried under history.

Interestingly, just days before, things felt different. Miami left Cleveland after Game 2 with a bit of momentum. They had clawed back from a 19-point hole to nearly tie things up late in that game. For a moment, they thought they’d cracked the Cavs’ code. Turns out, they hadn’t even come close.

Still, Cleveland’s coach Kenny Atkinson didn’t hold back the praise. “It’s pretty amazing what they did as a 10 seed to win two play in games on the road,” Atkinson said of the Heat. “We had seven, eight days of rest (before Round 1). And I always appreciate the class they play with. Win, lose, they don’t play dirty, they win with humility, when they lose they’re just a class program. Utmost respect for their club, their coaching staff, players in that locker room.” Now, all eyes shift back to Pat Riley. What move does the silver-haired shot-caller have up his sleeve this time?