Last week, Pat Riley opened a news conference sporting the kind of smile not seen since the last time the Miami Heat introduced a new star. Flanked by Giannis Antetokounmpo, the two-time MVP Riley forked over Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and whatever else the Bucks asked for to acquire, the Heat’s hoop el jefe declared a new era of Miami basketball. “We’re not guaranteeing anything,” said Riley, “but we want to win.”
Indeed, landing “the plane,” as Riley affectionately referred to his new 6'11", 243-pound superstar, is a milestone moment for the Heat. It has been 16 years since Riley recruited LeBron James and Chris Bosh in free agency, teaming the All-NBA forwards with Dwyane Wade to form a mini-dynasty that racked up four NBA Finals appearances and a pair of championships. The years since have been a mixed bag: regular playoff appearances, equally regular early exits with a couple of improbable Finals runs mixed in. Last season Miami won 43 games, missing the playoffs entirely.
