Heat President Pat Riley Has No Plans To Step Down

A defiant Heat president Pat Riley says he isn’t going anywhere. Riley declared early in his annual postseason press conference, which lasted 67 minutes, that he has no plans to step down, Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press reports (Twitter link).

“I’m not going to retire. I’m not going to resign,” the 81-year-old Riley said. “I’m not going to step aside. … I have the same attitude as I had in that press conference on the Imagination, period. I want another parade down Biscayne Boulevard. It may come. It may not.”

Riley joined the organization in 1995 as head coach and president. He stepped down from his coaching duties in 2008.

“I love what I’m doing. I love the people I am working with. I love competition,” he said. “I love this franchise. Don’t think I haven’t thought about [retiring]. I’m at 81 years old. I’m aging up. Micky or Nick [Arison] will decide whether I age out.”

Riley addressed a wide range of topics during his lengthy presser. Here are some of the highlights, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald:

• On being stuck in mediocrity: He continues to refuse to pursue a tanking strategy or major rebuild. “It’s simply the same thing we did the last three seasons. We tried, more than you even know, to get better. We’re at a period right now where you don’t make radical changes right now. We’re not going to tank and do that insanity. I will quit if I get ordered to go down that road.”
• On assets: Riley says he’ll be aggressive in trying to upgrade the roster this offseason, using his available assets. The biggest are a $16MM exception from the Duncan Robinson trade and a $15.1MM non-taxpayer midlevel exception. “I’m encouraged where we are with the flexibility and the players that are out there that we know are available that we can pursue.”
• On Bam Adebayo: Riley said his star center “deserves more help” and that he’s off limits in trade discussions. “I want to build this around Bam,” he said.
• He hinted that it’s not likely Tyler Herro will get an extension this offseason. Riley indicated he would speak with Herro’s agent but “we have to show a level of discipline in extending guys out.” Two of his top forwards, Andrew Wiggins ($30MM player option) and Norman Powell (free agent), told him they want to return.
• Along with an elite scorer, Riley wants to improve the team’s overall length. “We will address that.” However, Riley doesn’t want to saddle his salary cap with a risky trade or signing. “I’m not going to make a stupid move that’s going to saddle us for years to come and will have to pay to get out from under.”
• Regarding Herro, he will have a minor procedure on his foot this week, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald tweets. Riley expects Herro to be back on the court in July, Chiang adds in another tweet.
• Riley wasn’t happy that the Heat only received a second-round pick from the Hornets as compensation for not getting full disclosure in the Terry Rozier trade, Clutch Points Zachary Weinberger tweets. “I didn’t negotiate that deal. The NBA did. But my point is, is that was handled pretty much by the league…[The Rozier situation] was not a very good situation. There’s no doubt.”