Over the last decade and some change, the Miami Heat have been consistent in acquiring the kind of star talent that leads to championships. Dwyane Wade was drafted fifth overall in 2003. In the summer of 2010, Pat Riley assembled an all-time powerhouse when LeBron James and Chris Bosh decided to sign with the Heat.
But Riley asserts that the Heat’s most important acquisition was Shaquille O’Neal in 2004, as he told Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel:
“I’ll say this, and I mean this,” Riley says during a relaxed moment this past week, “Shaq’s acquisition was bigger than any acquisition that we ever made, including the Big Three.”
The Heat made a blockbuster deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sending Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Brian Grant, and their first-round pick to LA in exchange for O’Neal.
“Zo was big,” Riley says, “but getting Shaquille changed everything for our franchise.”
“The seminal moment,” Riley says, “to really make us really, really legitimate. He turned our franchise around. He gave us real legitimacy.”
Riley and Alonzo Mourning helped give the Heat franchise a competitive boost back in 1995. It was O’Neal, along with Wade in 2006, who delivered the first championship in franchise history.
This might come across as a slight from Riley towards Dwyane Wade, who was unable to reach an agreement with the Heat this summer and signed with the Chicago Bulls. Riley expressed sadness about Wade leaving, as this will be the first time Wade plays for a team other than Miami. Wade’s departure hinted at some kind of potential rift with Riley, whether subtle or serious.
It’s been reported that Riley “quietly detested” the strong relationship between Wade and LeBron James, particularly since James left Miami to return to Cleveland. In that breath, Riley’s comment could be a slight at LeBron, who helped bring two championships to the Heat.
Ultimately, Riley’s reminiscing of the Heat’s biggest moves had to do with his opinion on overall impact. Shaq’s presence at the time wasn’t just imperative to the Heat, but for a young Dwyane Wade, who had to quickly ascend to a superstar level with O’Neal’s help. When you consider the implications and timing of the Shaq acquisition, you can start to understand his logic.
