Miami Heat: The 5 best moves of the Pat Riley era
By Simon Smith
1. LeBron James
July 10, 2010: Traded a 2011 second round pick, 2012 second round pick, a 2013 first round pick and a future first round pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a sign-and-trade for LeBron James
One of the greatest free-agent signings in league history, Riley’s acquisition of James in the prime of his career was a monumental achievement.
James had already led the Cleveland Cavaliers to multiple 60-win seasons, and despite having a questionable supporting cast, his achievements at just age 25 were something to behold. This is not to mention his two NBA MVP’s, an Olympic Gold medal and six all-star games.
His decision to play for the Heat sent rippled across the NBA, and reinvigorated South Florida after a few disappointing seasons.
His four seasons in South Beach returned two NBA titles. He himself earned two league MVP awards and, during the back-to-back titles of 2012 and 2013, he won the Finals MVP in each year.
When you factor in that each season in Miami resulted in a trip to the NBA Finals, it is impossible to look past this as Riley’s greatest accomplishment since beginning his reign in 1995.
His defining game for the Heat was Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals. Trailing 3-2 and heading into Boston, James had one of the greatest performances in NBA playoff history. The stat line of 45 points, 15 rebounds and five assists is simply as good as it gets.
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And perhaps the greatest impact of James can be measured in his departure. After leaving, the Heat went from participating in four consecutive Finals to missing the playoffs completely.
He will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest to ever play, and the Heat got him in his prime.