Miami Heat fans want it, but Kyrie Irving will not be won’t be spending his regular seasons in South Beach.
To compete in the NBA, it takes stability, teamwork and talent. To compete for championships it takes a few stars. Those truths outline why it is understandable that Pat Riley’s Miami Heat have always been a big game hunter–as well as why fans rejoiced at the thought of Biscayne Bay being a preferred destination of Kyrie Irving.
From the outside looking in, pulling off a trade for Irving seems slim to none. But if anyone could pull such a move off it would be Riley, right? At least that is what history tells us.
Forget the folklore of Miami bringing in the top free agents or the inquiries about the team president losing his pull after four years of free agency misses. The truth is, the only big fish the Heat have ever signed were Chris Bosh, LeBron James and–on a lower level–Ray Allen. Everything outside of that was building enough assets to poach opposing teams of disgruntled players (Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway, Shaquille O’Neal, Goran Dragic) looking for a new destination.
Such moves are something Riley still believes in, as the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson writes:
"Heat president Pat Riley, while noting his team “deserves a chance to grow organically,” added: “Even though we have some long-term contracts, they are assets…. If something comes along somewhere along the way, there are opportunities to do other things. I don’t have plans to do that, but you need those kinds of assets.”"
Read that as Riley has the assets, but it is too soon to break up this group. Not because he is emotionally attached and wants to give them a shot though. Being stagnant has more to do with league rules permitting him from being able to trade his free agent signees (Kelly Olynyk, James Johnson, Dion Waiters) before December 15.
Hassan Whiteside, Dragic, Tyler Johnson and Justise Winslow are available, however are not necessarily enticing to many teams without the prerequisite available draft picks.
Miami owes two of their next four first round picks to the Phoenix Suns, after rescuing Dragic a few seasons ago. And per league rules, the Heat cannot trade those picks in consecutive years, so that part of the NBA standard of dealing is missing.
LeBron James could only want veterans in return, but the possibility of him leaving next year may render his opinion moot, as he reportedly stays hands off. Besides that, who could really see Dan Gilbert and Riley talking after swiping James from each other?
In other words, Heat fans should not get their hopes too high, because even if Riley’s assets were ready, Cleveland might not even pick up the phone.