The Miami Heat were dealt an enormous blow this summer when LeBron James announced his decision to leave the team and head to the Cleveland Cavaliers. It would be understandable if Miami, and its president Pat Riley, were hurt by LeBron choosing the Cavs over them.
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However, Riley says that’s not the case and that he’s actually ‘fired up’ at the moment.
From the South Florida Sun Sentinel:
"“I don’t get hurt. . . . This is business, all business.”(…)“It’s fired me up. I don’t like to get beat at anything. . . . This process didn’t take anything out of me other than this one notion . . . that [generational team] chain has been broken prematurely.”"
Riley and the Heat have a chance to do what few teams could do and recover well from a talent like James leaving. The NBA legend made it clear that he’s pleased with the current roster, which includes Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and Luol Deng,
"“I feel very good about where we are right now, at this moment, with the 12 guys under contract,” Riley said. “Unlike a lot of the prognosticators . . . I feel with all the conversations I’ve had with these players, that we’re going to be up to the challenge.”"
There are rumors the Heat will face off against James’ Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas Day. Perhaps then we will see if Miami has truly recovered from James’ departure.