Enter Riley
If anyone can convince George on the merits of such a move, it’s Riley. The Heat excelled in the Big Three era when LeBron played extended minutes at the power forward position, creating exceptional levels of flexibility on both ends of the court.
Furthermore, the famed Heat culture, and its history of winning, is a further feather in the cap for Riley. So if the Heat decided to pursue this path, formulating a suitable deal would be the next step. A package revolving around Justise Winslow, Tyler Johnson and Josh Richardson, and an agreement to trade Miami’s 14th pick in the draft.
At his recent annual exit interview, Riley stated the following when quizzed about the status of Richardson:
"“Josh got on this incredible three-point run at the end of the season. Those two (Richardson and Winslow) players are part of our future, a big part of our future. I take exception with some of you in the media, though it’s your right…”"
And Winslow:
"“I’ve been around players like Justise Winslow for a long time. He is a warrior, defender, cares about winning, has tremendous energy. The guy had a tough ride this year. He had a sprained wrist and played with it. Separated his shoulder, had that surgery. I took a look at a lot of those guys like Justise who came in as one and done guys. Kawhi Leonard averaged eight points a game his first year. Six years later, he’s 25. We are measuring this guy after 75 games. That’s unfair. Give him a chance. He ain’t going anywhere. I’ve read where you can package him here, package him there. He has something to prove. There’s no doubt. He will prove it. He’s a winner.”"
Taking it on face value, it seems Riley plans to build with Richardson and Winslow. However, remember the O’Neal trade.
Odom wound up being a two-time NBA champion with the Lakers and was the 2011 NBA sixth man of the year. On the other hand, Butler became a two-time all-star and was was a member of the 2011 NBA champion Dallas Mavericks (ironically defeating the Heat).
Still in the infancy of their professional careers, it’s obviously very difficult at this stage to forecast how Winslow, Richardson and Johnson will progress over the coming years.
Next: Pat Riley opens up on the breakup of the Big Three
But one thing that cannot be disputed is the ruthlessness of Riley. With the O’Neal and Dragic deals, Riley sensed the opportunity and pounced. Riley is 72 years old, but still wants to get one more championship. Trading for George could jump start Miami’s chances.
So considering Paul George and the Indiana Pacers’ marriage being somewhat clouded, it represents the ideal time for, quite possibly, Pat Riley’s last big swing.