Pistons < Spurs
04-28-2008, 01:45 PM
It looks like suffering through a 15-67 season is enough to move Pat Riley off the bench and back into the front office.
According to multiple media reports, the future Hall of Famer is expected to step down as the Miami Heat's head coach at a news conference set for 4 p.m. ET.
The reports -- from the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Miami Herald and The Associated Press -- say Riley will stay on as team president.
The Sun Sentinel reported that current Heat assistant coach Erik Spoelstra would replace Riley.
Riley has been Miami's head coach since taking over just 21 games into the 2005-06 season for Stan Van Gundy. That season, Riley helped lead the Heat to an NBA championship. Just two years later, his team owned the league's worst record.
The .183 winning percentage this season matched the worst mark in franchise history originally set by the 1988-89 expansion team.
In working on his dual role as coach and team president, Riley missed four games this season to scout players who may be available to the Heat in this year's NBA draft. Miami has the best chance of obtaining the No. 1 pick in this year's draft, and by having the league's worst record is assured of getting a top-four selection.
During his career, Riley owns a 1,210-694 regular-season record and has five championship rings. He has amassed 171 playoff victories and a career .632 winning percentage. Riley has had only three sub-.500 seasons in his NBA coaching career.
Riley will join several other distinguished members of the 2008 class that will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame later this year.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3372092
According to multiple media reports, the future Hall of Famer is expected to step down as the Miami Heat's head coach at a news conference set for 4 p.m. ET.
The reports -- from the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Miami Herald and The Associated Press -- say Riley will stay on as team president.
The Sun Sentinel reported that current Heat assistant coach Erik Spoelstra would replace Riley.
Riley has been Miami's head coach since taking over just 21 games into the 2005-06 season for Stan Van Gundy. That season, Riley helped lead the Heat to an NBA championship. Just two years later, his team owned the league's worst record.
The .183 winning percentage this season matched the worst mark in franchise history originally set by the 1988-89 expansion team.
In working on his dual role as coach and team president, Riley missed four games this season to scout players who may be available to the Heat in this year's NBA draft. Miami has the best chance of obtaining the No. 1 pick in this year's draft, and by having the league's worst record is assured of getting a top-four selection.
During his career, Riley owns a 1,210-694 regular-season record and has five championship rings. He has amassed 171 playoff victories and a career .632 winning percentage. Riley has had only three sub-.500 seasons in his NBA coaching career.
Riley will join several other distinguished members of the 2008 class that will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame later this year.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3372092