Riley (Reacts to) Rumors Run Amuck (Updated)

So let's see if I have this straight.

Pat Riley just might be willing to part ways with his slice of private paradise, part ownership of the Miami Heat, total control of basketball operations and the stewardship of Dwyane Wade to go to Cleveland?

That's the kind of nonsense you woke up this morning having to contemplate thanks to blog nonsense, senseless speculation and - frankly speaking - wishful thinking coming out of a couple of websites, including the New York Daily News.

According to these latest rounds of rumors, the Cavaliers are supposedly upset with Mike Brown's tank job as coach during Cleveland's loss to Orlando in the Eastern Conference Finals. It matters not that he was coach of the year this season after the Cavs won 66 games.

It doesn't matter that he has the support and trust of LeBron James. It doesn't matter that Riley is retired and has convinced himself once and for all (he insists) that he's done with coaching.

Riles is supposed to leave South Beach for the Great Lakes, ditch Wade for James, replace Brown and do for Cleveland what he did in leading Miami to the NBA title in 2006.

Except for one thing. It ain't happening. Unless, maybe, he could somehow convince Wade to join him.

Through a team spokesman, Riley said Thursday that any notion of him going to Cleveland - or anywhere else for that matter - is "a complete fabrication." Riley went on to say that he "is happy where" he is and has "no plans to go anywhere else."

Daily News writer Frank Isola is one of the more respected NBA reporters out there. But he's waaaaayyy out there on this one. Isola couldn't be Ice-colda with this Riley to Cleveland fiction. In fact, the closest Riley will get to Quicken Loans Arena is when - or if - he ever drops by the Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame to take in that Bruce Springsteen exhibit.

Don't get me wrong, Riley gets a kick out of this type of stuff. Rumors that he will swoop in and rescue a franchise, deliver a title and apply his infinite wisdom tend to stroke a man's ego.

After all, Riley didn't step away from the bench after the Heat's dismal, injury-riddled 15-win seasons a year ago because he didn't think he could still do the job. He walked away because he no longer wanted to do it and couldn't have departed at a better time, with the Hall of Fame induction on tap months later.

Still, this is the second time in a matter of months Riley's name supposedly had surfaced in a coaching search. Remember the Wizards reportedly came calling in search of a replacement for Eddie Jordan? That was until Washington GM Ernie Grunfeld came out and said he never dialed Riley's digits.

If Riley ever wanted to coach again, he'd simply Van Gundy current coach Erik Spoelstra. He'd convince the single and child-less Spoelstra that it's time to build a family he'd need to spend more time with.

As outlandish as that sounds, it's more likely to happen next season than Riley barking out defensive instructions to LeBron James in Cleveland.

Riley is always full of surprises, but his recently stated itinerary had three items on the agenda.

Lock up Dwyane Wade to a long-term contract either this summer or next.

Sign a mega-star Wade can partner with for another title run within the next two seasons.

And ride off into the sunset in one of his vintage cars, headed for retirement in Southern Cal. Now, if you hear any rumors about Riley replacing Tim Floyd at USC, then it might be time to worry.

Just kidding. I think.

See how easy it is to start a slightly believable rumor in this business? All it takes is a blog, an NBA credential and an agenda.

(For live news, notes and updates on the Heat, follow me on Twitter @ twitter.com/wallacesports)

Comments

[ray]

Lebron in miami with Wade?

[hande]

LeBron & Wade... does the opposing team get to add 2 players in order to double cover each of these loaded guns?

[JD]

I would think so...maybe 3 more players because when one is hot, it requires triple coverage

[Heater4life]

If it's about winning championships, LBJ should come to Miami and partner up with DWade. They can be championship contenders for the next 10 Years easily and pull of atleast 3 to 4 rings together. OMG!!!!! Imagine that!!!!!!!! The arena will be full every night, ESPN will move from Connecticut to Miami, and we will have more star power than any team in the league. I just hope DWade thinks about talking to LBJ about this.

[Queen Lames]

lebron comes to miami and riley mysteriously invent an exit for spoeltra which i wouldnt mind of course

[pugtv]

No to Lebust James in Miami.

[myeisha]

wow how quickly do we 4get dat stan van gundy was our coach in 2006 wen we won our championship,so technically stan groomed tha team for a champoinship and pat riley myseriously became tha head coach,lebron would not be a good look for us,he demands the ball and so does wade,we need to go for a vet guard like delonte west or a soklid big man like amare stoudamire or chris bosh and if push come to shove draft for a shooting forward or let dorrell wrigtht go and get sumbody else

[Carlito]

Wade doesn't demand the ball. At times last season, he actually wanted to play off the ball, but we just don't have the PG for that function. James didn't have that problem this year, and he played well with or without the ball. WE NEED A FREAKING PG, IT WILL INCREASE THE TEAM'S PLAYING VALUE. Either you get a big man this year and a PG next year, or we won't win until both of those things happens.

[JD]

It would be ridiculous to assume LBj and wade would not work well toegther because both demand the ball, they both would love to play off the ball a lot more than they do, not always have to save the day alone in the 4th quarter, and of course they should talk to each other about hooking up in miami in 2010 to make probably 5 straight runs to an NBA title and winning 3 or 4....it would be absurd not to take such a deal if it came our way, scary thing is it could happen in cleveland and not miami, or new york can snatch both which would just be horrible on their part....But I think 2010 might end up being nothing but a bunch of resigning, who knows, maybe we are blowing everything out of proportion, maybe no one except bosh moves....it could happen...and say not to beasley for bosh, we can have both in 2010, wade has to be pateince and keep grooming beasley in 2009.....but LBJ and Wade in 2010??? All for it, that should actually be riley's vision

[jpejeff]

Team USA won the gold with a whole team that demanded the ball. Two unstopable players demanding the ball is not the same as say Kobe and SHAQ. My bad, yeah it is. I wish I had a entire starting 5 that could score at will and demanded the ball. Besides we are talking about two of the best defensive players in the league. They would trump the great Bulls team and win championships 6 of the next 6 years. There good friends who know/think this better than i do.I just hope it is in Miami.

[Queen Lames]

wade has no business going to that crappy city that is cleveland a.k.a the worst city in USA.I would see wade as a ring chaser if he moves there.In the other hand lebron wont be seen as a ring chaser because he will be moving to a better team,a better city and would be playing with arguably the best player in the game (wade)

[jpejeff]

Plenty teams besides Miami and Cleveland will have enough cap space for the two if they decided to play together. What professional athlete in any sport is not a ring chaser? Miami is the place to be, so i would think/hope they would have the advantage over the rest of the league. This is all hypothetical,
but dream teams need to start with a dream.I Dispute the fact that JAMES is the best player
in the league too,but IM NOT CRAZY. I would welcome him in Miami with Wade. We would have the two best players in the league over the next six years.

[thejuandiggler]

Nobody but Miami will be able to afford Wade and LBJ together.
The Knicks ? lol , thats like playing for the Bobcats.

[johnny jones]

GREAT ARTICLE

[canesjunkie]

I suppose he should wait until they are good and then fire the coach....just like he did to Stan Van Gundy.

[Daniel]

What is this a joke. You'll need to stop. That aint happening!

[Queen Lames]

any team that has 2 of the best 3 players in the nba like wade and lebron that are go to guy in prime time dont need to play with more than spare parts.Picture wade and lebron at the start of the game then after minute 8 take 1 out and then bring him and take the other out.Its like having them play 48 minutes,plus i guess those will be blow out games 73 of the 82 games.

chalmers
wade
james
beasley
jermain for cheap for interior defense

do you know how many players will be dying to play for the vet minimum to chase a ring?wade and lebron will be shooting 55% or better from that season on not to mention their teammates getting wide open looks.Just bring lejoke to miami an enjoy all the celebs in the sideline

[Zak Kertesz, The Sports Complainer]

Fisher Administration bails out Kobe Corporations

by Zak Kertesz,
The Sports Complainer
written on 06/12/09

http://www.sportscomplainer.com

----I felt it. Dwight Howard felt it (you could see it on his face). And I assume everyone else in Amway Arena felt it. Did you? That overwhelming feeling of emotion conquering your body: all arising from the little 7-year-old girl. Gina Marie Incandela, diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder, unable to speak just a few years ago, touched the hearts of millions as she sang the National Anthem. The sports chills traveled through my body and it seemed as if this miracle of a voice was just what the Magic needed to tie the series up. And it worked, it really did. It’s just too bad she wasn’t allowed to sing at halftime, because that’s when it all went downhill for Orlando.

In the first half, the Magic built up their biggest lead of the series. Superman had 9 rebounds and 3 blocks in just the first few minutes of the game. Skip (Rafer Alston) was back on the playground as he began 4/5 from the field. The Lakers front court was in foul trouble as Josh Powell and D.J. Mbenga (who, right?) were inserted into the game. And by the half, the Magic led 49-37.

Cue in Gina Marie. Or don’t.

And that’s when the game turned. Orlando lost the emotion (Gina, where are you?) and the Laker mystique awed all. By the 4:39 mark in the third, the Lakers (no, not just Kobe) were up 57-56. Gina Marie was trying to run back on the court, but they just wouldn’t let her.

Down the stretch, the game was as close as the Gore-Bush race (you know what, this series needs a recount: Gasol’s goaltend!), until someone came up big. Huge. Bigger than Phil Jackson’s ridiculously raised leather seat, bigger than Dwight Howard’s shoulders and yes, even bigger than the belly on Stan Van Gundy (sorry Stan, you’re still The GQ Man).

The savior of the game. The Messiah of the moment: Kobe. Just Kidding. Kobe shot 11/31 from the field.

Kobe took jumper after jumper, refusing to drive to the hoop. He must have forgotten his driver’s license at home. The Black Mamba would not drive. Yes, Kobe, we all know you are aging and even if you’re not the highest flyer anymore (not even on your own team: Trevor Ariza has illegal springs in his shoes), drive! Your Kobe Bean Bryant, the officials will give you a call if someone touches your jersey. Go to the basket, draw contact and get what’s free in this league (especially for superstars): free throws.

Hence, it wasn’t Kobe. Not with him shooting only 35%. It was the man who has the third most made 3-point shots in NBA Finals history. Only behind Robert Horry and the should-be logoman (His Airness, Michael Jordan).

So who was it? It was The Derek Fisher Administration who bailed out the stock value of Kobe Corporations, the same way The Obama Administration bailed out AIG.

Kobe’s legacy was on the line. If not for Derek Fisher hitting a three with 4.6 seconds left in the game, to eventually send it to overtime (where Fisher hit another clutch three late in the period, to basically secure the victory), the series would be all tied up. With the next game in Orlando, backed up by the voice of Gina Marie…

…And who knows what could have happened from there. If Orlando, with assumed momentum built up, goes on to win the series, what happens to the legacy of Kobe Bean Bryant?

(Having gone to two straight NBA Finals and losing both. Moreover, losing his last three appearances in the Finals as a whole. But that’s all unsubstantiated gossip now, thanks to The Fisher Administration.)

President Barack Obama must have called Fisher before the game and let him know what bailout plans are all about. Let him know how to give out the special aide to those in need of it. By the by, Hedo-He Does Turkoglu did in fact receive a call from the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, before the game. But it looks as if Recep was outmatched by Barack. Go Barack!

Consequently, Kobe’s legacy is safe and has even escalated to another level. Or at least it seems so, with a now commanding 3-1 lead. But before we rank Kobe amongst the best ever, let’s take a closer look.

Besides the bailout plan by The Fisher Administration, whenever Kobe has won, he’s been surrounded by a legit big man and a coach who has won 9 of the last 18 NBA Championships. In 18 years, Phil has taken home the O’Brien trophy 50% of the time. Phil, c’mon man, let someone else win every once in a while (That’s it, I have officially taken away the crown from King, I mean Prince James and handed it over to Phil).

Kobe’s first three rings occurred when he was hanging onto the cape of the former Superman; the most dominant player to ever, ever, play the game (The Bigunfriendly). And now, on the brink of another one, Kobe, you’ve got The Mop (Pau Gasol). A highly underrated player whose own legacy would be greater if not stuck in Grizzly-land for all those years.

However, Kobe did have a few years without any bigs and one without the Zen Master. And what happened then? I’ll tell you exactly what happened then: A non-playoff appearance and then repeated early exits in the first round. Kobe has never made it past the first round without a legit big. So please, please, no MJ comparisons anymore. In fact no MJ comparisons ever. His Airness was one of a kind. Never before and never again.

Nonetheless, years from now, when NBA historians rank Kobe amongst the greats, indeed he will be up there. With both the stats and the rings, one cannot deny his stature. For in due time, no one will remember the specifics.

No one will remember Kobe needed a big, no one will remember Kobe needed King Phil and undoubtedly, no one will remember The Fisher Administration bailout plan.