“There are going to be a lot of changes this summer, knowing how the guy with the silver hair works. Be prepared for that.”
These were the words Bam Adebayo spoke after the Miami Heat’s 138–83 Game 4 loss, marking one of the biggest point differentials in an elimination game.
The Heat — a team running on fumes after a tumultuous season — saw their 2024–25 playoff campaign end against the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games. Whether you want to call it a beat down or a sweep, Miami simply had no business being in this fight, entering the play-in as the 10th seed and clawing their way through with wins over the Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls.
Perhaps a team so desperate to find its identity never truly found one to begin with. After all, fans had never seen such public tension between a player and an owner quite like what unfolded between Jimmy Butler and Pat Riley. Two individuals with conflicting agendas traded suspensions, fines, and subtle jabs on social media. Sooner rather than later, Butler was traded to the Golden State Warriors, and Riley had to come to terms with the one thing he’s never let a player do: win the war.
A simple attempt to glue back together the popsicle stick house that was the Heat organization quickly fell apart. Andrew Wiggins, newly acquired, barely suited up. Terry Rozier was caught in the middle of another player-gambling scandal. Erik Spoelstra suffered the longest losing streak of his head coaching career, dropping eight straight games during the regular season.
Add it all together, and you get a 37–45 team that made the playoffs — only to be on the receiving end of the largest point differential in any playoff series in NBA history.
What’s next for the Miami Heat?
Referencing Adebayo’s comments, there’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding leadership under Pat Riley and the direction of the Miami Heat. Since joining the team in 1995, Riley has led them to three NBA championships and two Finals appearances in the last five seasons. But if the past two seasons have taught fans anything — one playoff win across nine games — it’s that the future is looking increasingly narrow-minded.
Players didn’t want Butler gone but found out on the bench, mid-game, that he had been dealt. Heat fans didn’t want to lose their team’s star power, but they were forced to endure the fallout. Spoelstra tying the worst record of his career wasn’t expected, but it’s now a mark on an otherwise sterling résumé. And all of these missteps share a common thread: Pat Riley had to get his way.
Maybe it’s time for the Heat to take a long, hard look in the mirror and ask themselves:
Is an 80-year-old team president the right person to shape the future?
Because if not, there might not be much of a future left.