Pat Riley still mad about LeBron leaving

[djohn2oo8]

Miami*Heat president Pat Riley addressed his team's NBA draft approach on Monday.

"No more smiling faces with hidden agendas, so we'll be going in clean," Riley said. He added, "That could be anyone across the board."


One interpretation of Riley's first comment is that he is alluding to LeBron James.*James played four seasons with the Heat before exercising the early termination option of his contract last June and becoming a free agent.



In last summer's draft, the Heat used their first-round pick on former UConn point guard Shabazz Napier.*James had made clear his opinion on Napier during the Huskies' championship run, tweeting in April that there is "No way u take another PG in the lottery before Napier."

After Miami acquired Napier in a draft-night trade, James tweeted the following.*"My favorite player in the draft! #Napier."

In July, the four-time MVP later opted to leave Miami and join the Cleveland Cavaliers, with whom he spent the first seven seasons of his career.

On Monday, Riley was asked about James' departure.*"Yes, I'm at peace with it," Riley said.

[djohn2oo8]

http://www.si.com/nba/2015/04/20/pat-riley-heat-miami-lebron-james-cavaliers-shabazz-napier

[Clipper Nation]

Last I checked, that faggot stabbed SVG in the back the minute Shaq showed up so he could hop in the driver's seat of a championship team... he's one to talk about "agendas."

[Killakobe81]

Last I checked, that faggot stabbed SVG in the back the minute Shaq showed up so he could hop in the driver's seat of a championship team... he's one to talk about "agendas."

Talk about coming out to defend someone or some team ...

Personally seems like they are reaching. I do think it was snarky comment but really does it warrant much media coverage? And riles is a gangster offing SVG was as natural as walking for Pat. Besides, shaq wanted SVG gone ...blame him.

[Malik Hairston]

Of course he's still mad..everybody in the organization assumed Lebron was returned, because he made it seem like he was:lol..

The only difference between this and what happened in 2010 is that there wasn't an ESPN special..it's the :(feel good story:(, though..

[Expert]

I'm pretty sure Pat Riley did not draft LeBron James. I don't think he was referring to him then when he spoke about smiling faces with hidden agendas. If anyone he was talking about Michael Beasley.

[djohn2oo8]

Talk about coming out to defend someone or some team ...

Personally seems like they are reaching. I do think it was snarky comment but really does it warrant much media coverage? And riles is a gangster offing SVG was as natural as walking for Pat. Besides, shaq wanted SVG gone ...blame him.
Agree. But at the same time, what did Riley really expect? That LeBron wouldnt leave him like he left Gilbert?

[Bynumite]

Lebeta returning to massa Gilbert:



http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view3/1573522/lamont-tap-dancing-o.gif

[djohn2oo8]

Lebeta returning to massa Gilbert:



http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view3/1573522/lamont-tap-dancing-o.gif
Wade broke down like everyone thought he would. And Riley is a shitty GM who traded for Dragic who is going to opt out anyway.

[Malik Hairston]

^^Lebron leaving had very little to do with Miami's talent level, tbh:lol..

He left Cleveland to be loved again, and it's working..everybody loves him, his popularity increased dramatically, especially with White people..also, he's the best player in the NBA and a top 5 peak player of all-time, any team he goes to will automatically contend(and the team he leaves will go downhill, as we have seen several times)..

The Cavs are a terribly constructed team, yet they're the favorites to win the East and Vegas has them as title favorites..a team with the 20th ranked defense in the league, which is almost unheard of..

[Bynumite]

^^Lebron leaving had very little to do with Miami's talent level, tbh:lol..

And you were on his nuts thinking Lebeta was on some militant shit, like he was some kind of black leader :lol

Ol' coon ass house negro showed his true colors.

[djohn2oo8]

^^Lebron leaving had very little to do with Miami's talent level, tbh:lol..

He left Cleveland to be loved again, and it's working..everybody loves him, his popularity increased dramatically, especially with White people..also, he's the best player in the NBA and a top 5 peak player of all-time, any team he goes to will automatically contend(and the team he leaves will go downhill, as we have seen several times)..

The Cavs are a terribly constructed team, yet they're the favorites to win the East and Vegas has them as title favorites..a team with the 20th ranked defense in the league, which is almost unheard of..
So if Wade was healthy, and Bosh (no one saw his condition coming), you think LeBron still would have left?

[DAF86]

^^Lebron leaving had very little to do with Miami's talent level, tbh:lol..

He left Cleveland to be loved again, and it's working..everybody loves him, his popularity increased dramatically, especially with White people..also, he's the best player in the NBA and a top 5 peak player of all-time, any team he goes to will automatically contend(and the team he leaves will go downhill, as we have seen several times)..

The Cavs are a terribly constructed team, yet they're the favorites to win the East and Vegas has them as title favorites..a team with the 20th ranked defense in the league, which is almost unheard of..

Mmh, I don't know about that. I think Lebron saw that he got everything he could out of that group and it was time to look for greener pastures. Cleveland had Irving, a core of young talented players, the first pick on a stacked draft and cap space to go for max players add the "feel good story" to all that and it was a no brainer for Lebron.

But make no mistake, if Cleveland hasn't had the tools to build a good team he wouldn't have returned.

[Malik Hairston]

It probably helped his decision, but it's very low in the priority list IMO..

Winning another ring in Miami would pale in comparison to winning a ring for his hometown and a notorious sports failure like the city of Cleveland..fans and media love the "hometown" narrative, just look at Derrick Rose, despite his constant failures:lol..

Irving was viewed as a cancer prior to Lebron joining..shit, even earlier in the year, he was still viewed as a cancer and getting ripped by everybody for the Cavs' struggles..it's not like he was highly regarded..

They also had a new coach and a new system with no role players, unlike Miami with their continuity and chemistry..

Also, it's not like Wade sucks now..he still had a pretty good season, and his durability wasn't any different than in previous years with Lebron..

[Killakobe81]

Mmh, I don't know about that. I think Lebron saw that he got everything he could out of that group and it was time to look for greener pastures. Cleveland had Irving, a core of young talented players, the first pick on a stacked draft and cap space to go for max players add the "feel good story" to all that and it was a no brainer for Lebron.

But make no mistake, if Cleveland hasn't had the tools to build a good team he wouldn't have returned.

I agree it was a number of factors. But if the Cavs had Minny's roster even with ROTY wiggins who he absolutely did not want to wait on (obviously) ...no way he goes back home. It was about power, popularity, family and winning in some order.

[DAF86]

I agree it was a number of factors. But if the Cavs had Minny's roster even with ROTY wiggins who absolutely did not want to wait on no way he goes back home. It was about power, popularity, family and winning in some order.

That's what I'm saying. Lebron's decision was 95% about winning. He saw that with the assets Cleveland had a very good team could be built.

[DAF86]

It probably helped his decision, but it's very low in the priority list IMO..

Winning another ring in Miami would pale in comparison to winning a ring for his hometown and a notorious sports failure like the city of Cleveland..fans and media love the "hometown" narrative, just look at Derrick Rose, despite his constant failures:lol..

Irving was viewed as a cancer prior to Lebron joining..shit, even earlier in the year, he was still viewed as a cancer and getting ripped by everybody for the Cavs' struggles..it's not like he was highly regarded..

They also had a new coach and a new system with no role players, unlike Miami with their continuity and chemistry..

Also, it's not like Wade sucks now..he still had a pretty good season, and his durability wasn't any different than in previous years with Lebron..

He saw Miami was done, imho. It was not only about Wade's decline or the talent on the roster. It was also about the 4 straight seasons getting to the finals. Lebron knew that getting that far again with that squad was going to be very very difficult.

[lefty]

Lebron went to Cleveland because of the younger talent - Kyrie and Love


Still, fuck going to that shithole Cleveland, I would rather stay in Miami even if that means finishing last in the standings

[Killakobe81]

He saw Miami was done, imho. It was not only about Wade's decline or the talent on the roster. It was also about the 4 straight seasons getting to the finals. Lebron knew that getting that far again with that squad was going to be very very difficult.

And I have less issue with him joining a young talented team rather than the Heatles. He didnt choose a complete reclamation project Cavs have talent and support especially after Lebron the GM's moves ...

But to act as though winning wasnt a factor is crazy. Plus, look what is happening when they win he gets all the credit when they lose everyone says Love and Kyrie are losers who have never won anything ...

Lebron is smart as hell ...

[Mr Bones]

It's ironic that GMs get mad when a player leaves, because the way they usually acquire a guy in the first place is by convincing him to leave another place first. Everyone gets so emo and self-interested in these situations. I don't see what the big deal is... A grown man comes to a point in his life where his contract is up, and he takes a look around to see what his next best move is. LeBron's move especially seems pretty unremarkable: a guy returning to his home state to finish his career, and hopefully to bring a title to the team he grew up watching. It doesn't strike me as all that outlandish.

[Mr Bones]

^^Lebron leaving had very little to do with Miami's talent level, tbh:lol..



Says the guy that was 100% sure LeBron wouldn't leave Miami and had an "inside source" that guaranteed he was staying.

You don't know LeBron's mind. I know you want to think you do but you don't, and no amount of smug, all-knowing sentences ending with "tbh:lol.." is ever going to change that.

[Killakobe81]

Says the guy that was 100% sure LeBron wouldn't leave Miami and had an "inside source" that guaranteed he was staying.

You don't know LeBron's mind. I know you want to think you do but you don't, and no amount of smug, all-knowing sentences ending with "tbh:lol.." is ever going to change that.

Shots fired ...

[Bynumite]

Says the guy that was 100% sure LeBron wouldn't leave Miami and had an "inside source" that guaranteed he was staying.

You don't know LeBron's mind. I know you want to think you do but you don't, and no amount of smug, all-knowing sentences ending with "tbh:lol.." is ever going to change that.

http://i.imgur.com/qKTCl61.gif

[Malik Hairston]

Says the guy that was 100% sure LeBron wouldn't leave Miami and had an "inside source" that guaranteed he was staying.

You don't know LeBron's mind. I know you want to think you do but you don't, and no amount of smug, all-knowing sentences ending with "tbh:lol.." is ever going to change that.

LeBatard(the media member with direct connections to Arison and Riley) has confirmed several times that LeBron made it seem like he was staying and led everybody on..

[spurraider21]

^^Lebron leaving had very little to do with Miami's talent level, tbh:lol..

He left Cleveland to be loved again, and it's working..everybody loves him, his popularity increased dramatically, especially with White people..also, he's the best player in the NBA and a top 5 peak player of all-time, any team he goes to will automatically contend(and the team he leaves will go downhill, as we have seen several times)..

The Cavs are a terribly constructed team, yet they're the favorites to win the East and Vegas has them as title favorites..a team with the 20th ranked defense in the league, which is almost unheard of..
do you have a link to demonstrate that more white people like lebron now than a year ago?

because i'm assuming your source is the same as stephen a smith's... aka the streets

[Malik Hairston]

do you have a link to demonstrate that more white people like lebron now than a year ago?

because i'm assuming your source is the same as stephen a smith's... aka the streets

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/70784/mind-of-the-fan-lebrons-homecoming

You should know by now that I almost always have proof to validate my arguments, tbh..

[Killakobe81]

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/70784/mind-of-the-fan-lebrons-homecoming

You should know by now that I almost always have proof to validate my arguments, tbh..

Smiley emoticon was missing brah ...

[MeloHype]

Says the guy that was 100% sure LeBron wouldn't leave Miami and had an "inside source" that guaranteed he was staying.

You don't know LeBron's mind. I know you want to think you do but you don't, and no amount of smug, all-knowing sentences ending with "tbh:lol.." is ever going to change that.

Ether

[spurraider21]

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/70784/mind-of-the-fan-lebrons-homecoming

You should know by now that I almost always have proof to validate my arguments, tbh..
yeah but its not really a white/black thing, the increase has been consistent among all demographics. seems like people just like the idea of lebron going back home, and not some racist "going back to massa" conspiracy

http://a4.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2014%2F1020%2Fnba_e_MOF1_800x450. jpg&w=1140

[Malik Hairston]

yeah but its not really a white/black thing, the increase has been consistent among all demographics. seems like people just like the idea of lebron going back home, and not some racist "going back to massa" conspiracy

http://a4.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2014%2F1020%2Fnba_e_MOF1_800x450. jpg&w=1140

Kind of, not really, though..

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2014/story/_/page/mindoffan/how-fans-see-lebron-james

I don't think it's conscious racism, btw..most Whites are conditioned to cheer for the cliches that have been programmed in their brains from a young age in regards to sports, and the hometown/Massah narrative is one of them..

[spurraider21]

Kind of, not really, though..

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2014/story/_/page/mindoffan/how-fans-see-lebron-james

I don't think it's conscious racism, btw..most Whites are conditioned to cheer for the cliches that have been programmed in their brains from a young age in regards to sports, and the hometown/Massah narrative is one of them..
yeah, i get it. ethan strauss is obsessed with making articles about lebron and race

and this is an article before he came back to cleveland, so you cant really say "white people like him for going back to massa" if you're basing it on an article before that even happened

[Malik Hairston]

Common complaints among White NBA fans:

- The game is not physical enough anymore, they don't let them fight like they did back in my day
Translation: We want to see these niggas fighting and hurting each other

- These contracts are terrible
Translation: We hate seeing these niggas make so much money

- The fundamentals of the game are gone
Translation: White American players are a dying breed, currently the lowest % we have ever seen

- Too much "Monkeyballing"
Translation: White Americans are obsolete

- These players don't focus enough on basketball, too concerned with off-court shit
Translation: We don't want to see these niggas making business decisions or having fun

- Michael Jordan this, Michael Jordan that
Translation: Dad Killer is such a coon, we love him, he hates niggas even more than we do

[spurraider21]

Common complaints among White NBA fans:
ok so you've backed away from citing sources and are now back to "the streets" for your info


- The game is not physical enough anymore, they don't let them fight like they did back in my day
Translation: We want to see these niggas fighting and hurting each other
:lol no... former black players say the same shit. the game has gone soft. it makes for a better, more entertaining product, but the paint is way less violent than it used to be. that's not a "white complaint" that's an objective observation


- These contracts are terrible
Translation: We hate seeing these niggas make so much money
no. people dont really have problems with great players getting paid. do people call lebron overpaid? no... the only ones who do are among the retard class that think all athletes are overpaid, without realizing that they indeed draw the revenue.

people hate it when bad players get overpaid because it holds teams back. people hate parker's contract because its too much, not because he's french


- The fundamentals of the game are gone
Translation: White American players are a dying breed, currently the lowest % we have ever seen


- Too much "Monkeyballing"
Translation: White Americans are obsolete
when you have 7 foot giants with no post moves and 6 foot guards that can't make free throws, its a viable complaint.


- These players don't focus enough on basketball, too concerned with off-court shit
Translation: We don't want to see these niggas making business decisions or having fun
this is fan talk, not white talk. fans like it when their team does well. the same complaints go to johnny manziel too, and not because this culture is black supremacist


- Michael Jordan this, Michael Jordan that
Translation: Dad Killer is such a coon, we love him, he hates niggas even more than we do
MJ is also probably the greatest player of all time. football fans do the same with joe montana

[Malik Hairston]

Listening to Lebatard's show right now, just confirmed for the millionth time that Riley believed Lebron was staying after their meeting in Vegas..:lol people ignoring Lebron's actions this time around..

[Brazil]

I would be mad too even furious to be honest in Riley's shoes :lol

[DMC]

What's happening with Lebron is simple: He sees "legacy" and thinks his is that of a person who dumped the poor, downtrodden masses in Cleveland to rub elbows with the rich and famous in Miami. He basically did, but he doesn't like that story line. He created a commercial talking about it. No one does that unless it bothers them. So how does he salve (noticed salve is an anagram of slave) that wound? He goes back under the guise of trying bring a championship to Cleveland, and he might, but he's stated in front of God and everyone else that in the 1st year it's not that likely.

That grants him some reprieve, which no one else would even need in his same predicament. 4 straight Finals and he "might" make a 5th with a team that didn't make the playoffs since he left 4 years ago? Yeah, that happens like once in your lifetime. So he's trying to right the story line (no I didn't mean "write", KK81 is the illiterate one, not me). I think he can go where he wants after this 2 year stint, perhaps to LA once Kobe goes into remission or NY to play for Phil once Fisher is made the ball boy and someone serious is brought in to coach. That's when you'll see a couple other big names join him in a big market and there they'll reign for a while.

[Malik Hairston]

What's happening with Lebron is simple: He sees "legacy" and thinks his is that of a person who dumped the poor, downtrodden masses in Cleveland to rub elbows with the rich and famous in Miami. He basically did, but he doesn't like that story line. He created a commercial talking about it. No one does that unless it bothers them. So how does he salve (noticed salve is an anagram of slave) that wound? He goes back under the guise of trying bring a championship to Cleveland, and he might, but he's stated in front of God and everyone else that in the 1st year it's not that likely.

That grants him some reprieve, which no one else would even need in his same predicament. 4 straight Finals and he "might" make a 5th with a team that didn't make the playoffs since he left 4 years ago? Yeah, that happens like once in your lifetime. So he's trying to right the story line (no I didn't mean "write", KK81 is the illiterate one, not me). I think he can go where he wants after this 2 year stint, perhaps to LA once Kobe goes into remission or NY to play for Phil once Fisher is made the ball boy and someone serious is brought in to coach. That's when you'll see a couple other big names join him in a big market and there they'll reign for a while.

Good post, and ya, the "greener pastures" arguers seem to ignore that Lebron immediately dismissed Cleveland's chances of winning the title, as soon as he got there:lol..

[DMC]

Says the guy that was 100% sure LeBron wouldn't leave Miami and had an "inside source" that guaranteed he was staying.

You don't know LeBron's mind. I know you want to think you do but you don't, and no amount of smug, all-knowing sentences ending with "tbh:lol.." is ever going to change that.

So many of you are basically audience members who respond to the "applause" indicator and "boo" indicators, but you don't provide anything of substance. There's a whole list of you people, you file in one by one and lodge your bitch vote and that's it.

How about you step up and do something interesting instead being post reviewer?

Yeah didn't think so..

cue "but you're doing the same thing"...

[D-Wade]

Riles is just playing on team spirit and Heat Nation loyalty in the wake of a disappointing season but a promising future (provided everything falls our way). He's been doing the same in season ticket commercials on Sun Sports, without naming Lebron directly of course. :lol

[DAF86]

Good post, and ya, the "greener pastures" arguers seem to ignore that Lebron immediately dismissed Cleveland's chances of winning the title, as soon as he got there:lol..

To reduce the pressure. You are fooling yourself if you trully think Lebron went to Cleveland without any hope at all of winning the championship, and even if he really thought the Cavs had no chance of winning a championship this year he still saw that possibility more close to coming to fruition in the next few years in Cleveland than in Miami. He sold the "coming back home" story but what he's really after is the rings, imho.

[AlexJones]

Common complaints among White NBA fans:

- The game is not physical enough anymore, they don't let them fight like they did back in my day
Translation: We want to see these niggas fighting and hurting each other

- These contracts are terrible
Translation: We hate seeing these niggas make so much money

- The fundamentals of the game are gone
Translation: White American players are a dying breed, currently the lowest % we have ever seen

- Too much "Monkeyballing"
Translation: White Americans are obsolete

- These players don't focus enough on basketball, too concerned with off-court shit
Translation: We don't want to see these niggas making business decisions or having fun

- Michael Jordan this, Michael Jordan that
Translation: Dad Killer is such a coon, we love him, he hates niggas even more than we do

:lol

[HI-FI]

^^Lebron leaving had very little to do with Miami's talent level, tbh:lol..

He left Cleveland to be loved again, and it's working..everybody loves him, his popularity increased dramatically, especially with White people..also, he's the best player in the NBA and a top 5 peak player of all-time, any team he goes to will automatically contend(and the team he leaves will go downhill, as we have seen several times)..

The Cavs are a terribly constructed team, yet they're the favorites to win the East and Vegas has them as title favorites..a team with the 20th ranked defense in the league, which is almost unheard of..
I think they're the favorites. If the Cavs don't win this season, shit, when will be the next time they get a hometown superstar or 3 no. 1 picks to lure him back. Whoever faces the Cavs better prepare for subtle shekelsteining imo.

[Mr Bones]

It's ironic that GMs get mad when a player leaves, because the way they usually acquire a guy in the first place is by convincing him to leave another place first. Everyone gets so emo and self-interested in these situations. I don't see what the big deal is... A grown man comes to a point in his life where his contract is up, and he takes a look around to see what his next best move is. LeBron's move especially seems pretty unremarkable: a guy returning to his home state to finish his career, and hopefully to bring a title to the team he grew up watching. It doesn't strike me as all that outlandish.


So many of you are basically audience members who respond to the "applause" indicator and "boo" indicators, but you don't provide anything of substance. There's a whole list of you people, you file in one by one and lodge your bitch vote and that's it.

How about you step up and do something interesting instead being post reviewer?

Yeah didn't think so..

cue "but you're doing the same thing"...

My first post was about the topic, but you chose to focus on the second post, which responded to Malik.

[Malik Hairston]

To reduce the pressure. You are fooling yourself if you trully think Lebron went to Cleveland without any hope at all of winning the championship, and even if he really thought the Cavs had no chance of winning a championship this year he still saw that possibility more close to coming to fruition in the next few years in Cleveland than in Miami. He sold the "coming back home" story but what he's really after is the rings, imho.

I don't think he would have went to Cleveland if they didn't have any chance of winning, but let's be real here..the 2014 Eastern Conference was probably the worst conference in 10 years, and this year's East is just as bad(or worse)..if he stays in Miami, their team is just as good as this year's Cavs IMO..

The narrative is more important, though..he has proven many times that he's sensitive and cares about the opinions of his "legacy"..if he wins a ring for his hometown and a shitty Cleveland franchise(and city), it would be much bigger than anything he did in Miami, including a repeat, from a narrative perspective..

[DAF86]

I don't think he would have went to Cleveland if they didn't have any chance of winning, but let's be real here..the 2014 Eastern Conference was probably the worst conference in 10 years, and this year's East is just as bad(or worse)..if he stays in Miami, their team is just as good as this year's Cavs IMO..

The narrative is more important, though..he has proven many times that he's sensitive and cares about the opinions of his "legacy"..if he wins a ring for his hometown and a shitty Cleveland franchise(and city), it would be much bigger than anything he did in Miami, including a repeat, from a narrative perspective..

Maybe (although I mantain the idea that it would have been extremely hard for Miami to reach the NBA finals for a fifth straight year) but with this move to cleveland Lebron expanded his window of oportunity of winning a championship for at least 5 or 6 more years (maybe even more), in Miami that window didn't go further than 2 or 3 years as currently constructed.

Sure, the "comeback" story weighed-in on Lebron's decision but I'm pretty sure it came as a very distant second to his main goal, which imho was getting to a team that could become a championship contender in the short term and remain as such for a longer period of time than what he would have had if he stayed in Miami.

[Thebesteva]

Lebeta returning to massa Gilbert:



http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view3/1573522/lamont-tap-dancing-o.gif

:lmao

[DMC]

My first post was about the topic, but you chose to focus on the second post, which responded to Malik.
I digress. Barber.... proceed.

[cd021]

Wade broke down like everyone thought he would. And Riley is a shitty GM who traded for Dragic who is going to opt out anyway.

21.5 ppg, 5 APG, 21.4 P.E.R and 47% from the field is breaking down? He missed 20 games, quite of few players did this season. Dragic was always going to opt out that's common knowledge, He is getting the max and the Heat have his bird rights. Thats why Dragic had the Heat on his list. He wanted to play in a big market/ city and get paid where he can play closer to his style.

Riley is a great GM, Next you gonna say Jerry West was a terrible GM.:lol