Miami Heat president Pat Riley declared he will not retire and remains committed to winning during his end-of-season press conference on Monday. Expressing disappointment with the team's recent Play-In struggles, he rejected tanking and pledged aggressive roster improvements. Riley emphasized building around Bam Adebayo while leveraging salary-cap flexibility.
Pat Riley opened his press conference by affirming his longevity with the franchise. 'I'm not going to retire,' he said. 'I'm not going to resign. I'm not going to step aside.' The 81-year-old Hall of Famer reiterated his desire for another championship parade down Biscayne Boulevard, echoing his mindset since joining in 1995. He described himself as 'really pissed,' 'disappointed,' and 'disgruntled' over the Heat's performance, including four straight Play-In appearances, a 2023 NBA Finals run, just one playoff win since, and missing the postseason this year with a 43-39 record after starting 14-7. 'We're not proud of' these results, Riley said, but 'we're always going to try to win' and 'not going to apologize for it.' He vowed never to tank, stating he would quit if ordered to pursue lottery odds intentionally. The Heat reset by trading Jimmy Butler before the 2025 deadline, gaining a 2026 lottery pick and trade exceptions including $16.8 million from Duncan Robinson and $5.6 million from Haywood Highsmith, plus the midlevel exception and bi-annual exception. Riley plans to be 'aggressive as hell' this offseason to add talent, particularly around Bam Adebayo. 'I want to build this around Bam,' he said firmly, rejecting trade rumors unless offered 'eight picks and Victor Wembanyama.' He noted Adebayo's frustration but praised his expansion, urging better offensive efficiency after career-low 44.2% field goal and 55.1% true shooting percentages. On Tyler Herro and free agent Norman Powell, Riley called for discipline with big contracts amid upcoming decisions for Andrew Wiggins' $30.2 million option and rookie extensions. Miami aims to become a cap team in 2027 while prioritizing durable shooters and length.
