Miami Heat Rumors: Could concept of loyalty come back to bite them?

When the Miami Heat come to mind, Beyoncé, Kelly and Michelle are not the first names on the brain. But as the offseason looms the organization is just waiting for one superstar to say their name.

Offseason after offseason, trade deadlines after trade deadlines are met with one familiar theory. The Heat want every semi-available player and those players thirst for a taste of Pat Riley‘s culture water.

A little exaggerated? Maybe.

The premise never changes though. With good reason.

Riley’s team began to show their scavenger traits during the 1995-96 season, with the acquisitions of Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway. Before any of that is taken as an insult.

Not scavengers like little bottom-feeding shrimp. More like big cats looking for a prize in distress.

For as much as the Heat go on the prowl, so do other teams, players, and agents. Their ways shine through every year like Groundhog Day.

They lay out rumors as leverage plays, knowing that mentions of Miami will make other organizations ante up the assets. All because it is no secret that Riley’s affinity for poaching big fish will have him willing to go all in.

Could the Miami Heat landing a superstar be as simple as a disgruntled player choosing to voice his desire to spend his seasons on Biscayne Bay?

Players also hold another type of leverage angle as well. Shaquille O’Neal told the Knuckleheads podcast as much 17-months ago:

"“I was like, you know, I’m good, I’ma go on and just play my career out. And they disrespect me again.Trade me. So, I go in the office and I flex my power again. I say, okay, you want trade me, but I’m going to Miami.’”"

Organizations do not have to move players to teams they demand on going to. However, when this type of talk leaks into the media, à la James Harden, teams do not have many options but to freeze behind the barrel.

Some do not even let it get that far. Players like O’Neal put in so much work for their teams that the front office rewards them by pulling the trigger of their choosing.

Some players get shy with their power, like Dwight Howard in Orlando. The complete opposite of what the Heat need with the old rumors of Bradley Beal‘s interest and the Five Reasons Sports reported, Damian Lillard intrigue.

For the Miami Heat to get in the Beal and Lillard game, at this stage, either player would have to shake their recent stances. The talk of expecting to be in their current jerseys to start the season, would have to reverse.

The “winning with the franchise that brought them in” thoughts would need to give way to what some will take as a backstab. Would Beal and Lillard be comfortable with the backlash in order to get to Miami without getting them gutted?

Think about it? For all of the praise the Heat get for loyalty, securing a star of their destiny will rely on him turning his back on his organization.

Go figure.