When it comes to pulling off acquisitions and trade moves, Pat Riley has built a reputation as one of the best to get it done. Despite some questionable front office decisions, mainly in the past few years, Riley is always viewed in high regard.
He has made a legendary NBA career from playing, all the way to coaching and then into the front office. Riley is a nine-time champion across his tenure as a player, assistant coach, head coach and executive. His greatness can be described in plenty of ways, but he is a proven winner with an elite IQ and leadership style towards the game.
In being an executive, there will always be those trades that pay huge dividends and then some that miss. In more recent years, it could be argued that Victor Oladipo (2021) and Terry Rozier (2024) are a pair of acquisitions that haven’t worked out as well as hoped. Although, there is always still time for Rozier to turn things around.
But let’s go over those ones that did wind up making a big impact for the Miami Heat.
3. Andre Iguodala & Jae Crowder
Back in the 2019-20 season, the first year of the Jimmy Butler era, Riley pulled off a roster maneuver that helped Miami stack the deck for a late season push. At the 2020 deadline, the Heat sent Justise Winslow, James Johnson and Dion Waiters to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill.
The Grizzlies flipped Johnson to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Gorgui Dieng and then proceeded to buy out Waiters shortly after.
Essentially, the Heat unloaded injury plagued rotation players that were starting to decline for instant win-now contributors in Iguodala and Crowder. With the help of their role playing impact, the team went on to make an NBA Finals run in the Orlando bubble. Crowder’s 3 and D efforts especially added a much needed dynamic fit alongside Butler and Bam Adebayo in the frontcourt to finish off that season.
2. Tim Hardaway
During the early days of the Heat franchise, Hall of Fame point guard Tim Hardaway was sent to Miami at the deadline of the 1995-96 season. He was traded from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Kevin Willis and Bimbo Coles.
Hardaway would go on to become an undisputed Heat legend, getting his number 10 jersey retired and spearheading the very beginning of the franchise’s culture. He averaged 17.3 points, 7.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 367 career games in South Beach.
The Hall of Famer provided elite ball handling and playmaking skills on route to earning accolades during his time with the franchise. Hardaway was a five-time NBA All-Star and an All-NBA first team member with the Heat.
1. Goran Dragic
The midseason acquisition of the former Most Improved Player of the Year and “dragon”, Goran Dragic, could go down as the biggest trade deadline move in franchise history. His talents provided a long term point guard boost and marked a new chapter of Heat basketball following LeBron James’ free agent departure in 2014.
Dragic was brought in February of 2015 from the Phoenix Suns, in what was a three-team deal that also included Miami and New Orleans Pelicans. The Heat received Dragic and his brother Zoran Dragic, and traded away Danny Granger, Norris Cole, Justin Hamilton, Shawne Williams and a pair of first round draft picks in the move.
The rest would be history, as Dragic would become a fan favorite and All-Star caliber staple for years to come. He earned a 2018 All-Star nod and was the team’s leading scorer in that 2020 NBA Finals run.
In his seven seasons with the Heat, the crafty Slovenian guard averaged 16.2 points, 5.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds on 46% shooting and 36% from three-point range.