Pat Riley’s Continuing Dynasty
In life, anyone can show up in the future and influence your world in a fundamental way. It could an old high school friend or a fellow team mate that makes it big or changes the world as we know it.
Nobody could have guessed that Pat Riley would become a coaching icon in the 1980s, or that Phil Jackson would outdo him in the 90s, or that Jerry West would become great enough for a rival to suggest they should name the executive of the year award after him.
But 38 years after their paths cross in the Lakers–Knicks finals of 1972, it’s Pat Riley who has an opportunity to amalgamate elements of the other two and go down as the greatest coach/executive since Red Auerbach.
Riley won four championships with the Lakers, with Jerry West making the personal moves. He won a championship in Miami with a team he assembled himself. And now he’s the biggest winner of the most anticipated free-agency since 1996. And if he returns to coaching, which many think he will, he’d become the NBA’s most important man second only to commissioner David Stern.
While Riley will never have the brand power of West, he can say he’s done more than the latter off the court. West built champions, and Riley’s done that - and coached them too.
In the original formation, West and Riley were supposed to coach the Lakers ensemble, just like they’d played together on the team. But as soon as Lakers owner Jerry Buss announced that plan in 1981, it was clear West rescinded, leaving the task to Riley.
Doubts dissolved when Riley won the season, and three more following, in the next six years. With West specializing in bureaucracy and team politics, the two were able to put the Lakers in an exceptional position through the 80s and the 90s, landing stars like Nick Van Exel, Cedric Ceballos, and finally Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
Taking off with the Heat, in 1995 Riley traded Mourning and netted Tim Hardaway, as the main part of a frenzy that brought in five players before the trade deadline in 1996. The new team was able to make the Eastern Conference finals the following years, proving the gambling competence of Riley.
In 2004 he managed to pull in and reunite with O’Neal, in a roster with Dwyane Wade, which would give the Heat their sole championship.
A week ago his legacy and challenges were multiplied, raking in the mega-duo of LeBron James and Chris Bosh to play alongside Wade. He cleared enough cap space to do so, but the onus of the sell wasn’t really on him. A friendship had already been formed between the players while playing for team USA, seeding the possibility of a permanent reunion. However, it was Riley who guided it, turned dreams into financial realities, and it’s Riley who is now dealt the responsibility of a practical obligation to win the championship.
While the players are the stars, the Miami Heat definitely feels like Pat Riley’s team. You can’t really say that about most clubs; most team presidents call the shots, but don’t win the players from up above in the office. And how could they? In most cases, they’re removed and placed into an often antagonistic position with players. Riley shapes his team and creates a joining culture between them—a culture of winning, and a republic of interests.
The question that’s been on everyone’s mind is current coach Erik Spoelstra can be counted on to continue coaching the team. But the answer is surely set in stone. Riley canned Stan Van Gundy to take over a team fresh off a Game 7 win in the Eastern Conference finals the year before. He’ll do it to Spoelstra, who doesn’t even have a play-off run to show.
One can only anticipate where Riley will go with the club this time around, but make no mistake about it: the Heat will be contenders.
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