Pat Riley was far too controlling. He believed players should be under his thumb, ready for him to manipulate as he pleased. Dwyane Wade was one example.
But James was also fiercely independent. He wanted to control his own destiny and lead his own team.
That was what caused the two men to have such a serious disagreement.
On top of that, Wade's performance was declining, making another championship seem less likely. That was what ultimately led James to leave the Heat.
Of course, people had many sides to them. From another perspective, Pat Riley was a major contributor to the Heat—and a very important one.
As the Heat's coach, he had led them to the first championship in franchise history. Later, after becoming their general manager, he had built the Big Three through savvy management, creating a lineup that struck fear across the league and helping the Heat win two more championships.
The Heat had won the title three times in their history, and Riley had played a major role in every one of those championships.
You could say that without him, the Heat wouldn't have won any of their three titles.
So, in truth, many Heat fans felt a deep respect for their general manager, who appeared refined on the outside but was ruthless within, and who had contributed so much to the team.
In 2024, the Heat's owner even named the team's arena Pat Riley Arena to honor his outstanding contributions.
At that moment, Pat Riley stood in the darkness of the Player Tunnel at Pat Riley Arena, watching Wang Yi on the court.
Watching Wang Yi's outrageous airborne alley-oop poster dunk, the thought that had crossed his mind countless times surfaced once again.
What could he do to bring Wang Yi to the Heat?
In fact,