LeBron James hasn't made a free agent decision yet, a decision he's made three times before, and is about to make it a fourth time. After deciding to walk away from the Los Angeles Lakers, the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Philadelphia 76ers are all in the running for the four-time league MVP.
While the NBA world awaits James's final call on where he'll play next season, the topic continues to be debated daily on morning and afternoon sports networks. There are pros and cons to seemingly every team that can offer James a contract, and each team with a shot at his consideration has its own superstar, or even superstars.
The Heat being an option for James has picked up steam over the past several days, and considering that James has already returned to one team for a second stint, it says a lot about the possibility of a South Beach reunion. Whether James ' return to Miami would immediately land the Heat another ring is another conversation. That said, Stephen A. Smith has already given his take on what would happen if Miami achieved that.
Stephen A. Smith says Pat Riley would get the credit if the Miami Heat won another title
Two of the Heat's three NBA championships came thanks to James. Though no one will forget their first on Dwyane Wade's shoulders. Even in 2006, Wade had Shaquille O'Neal's help. In 2012 and 2013, James had Wade's, but without James, who knows if the Heat would ever win another title.
Furthermore, had James signed another deal in Miami, who knows how many more titles they could have won.
Now, over a decade later, James could go back to Miami, this time to play with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. On paper, those three players alone make for a playoff-contending team with the right supporting cast around them, something the Heat are still working on, with or without James.
If the Heat were to win another championship with James, that would be the second time he's returned to a previous destination to win a title, as he did with the Cleveland Cavaliers. This is all hypothetical right now, of course, but what if James went back to Miami and they won a title?
Would he garner the praise and credit, or would the man who was evidently able to convince "The King" to give it another go? Smith is siding with that "other man" on this one.
“If LeBron James goes to Miami and helps them win in Miami, Pat Riley gets the credit," Smith said on his show. "It’s Pat that went out and got Giannis and then LeBron… the champion is the executive that’s pulled it off again in his 80s.., LeBron is just the latest player he acquired to help elevate their franchise and the Pat Riley mystique. If you know anything about LeBron, he prides himself on being more than that.”
There would be something significant to Riley pulling off an offseason trade for Antetokounmpo and signing James as a free agent (not to mention keeping Andrew Wiggins for three more years). Riley has had a ton of criticism thrown his way ever since the Jimmy Butler debacle. He is attempting to right the Heat ship with Antetokounmpo's help, and if he lands James again and another title, then yes, Riley deserves massive credit.
That said, Smith, saying what he said about Riley would take away from James. If James' role in Miami were more to his advantage than it was last year in Los Angeles. That means that James could potentially have more to give, further showing his greatness at age 41.
Sorry, Stephen A., but if James goes back to Miami and wins a fifth title (his third with the Heat), he'll naturally receive more credit than Riley. Why? Because players win titles on the floor, and if James continues to be the best player on the court more nights than not, it's not just Father Time he keeps at bay, but it's greatness refusing to die. That deserves credit, with another ring attached.
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