Miami Heat President Pat Riley stated that he has moved past the disappointment of LeBron James' departure in 2014 and still has a positive relationship with the basketball star.
Riley, appearing on "The Dan Le Batard Show," mentioned that he has encountered James at events like the NBA All-Star Games, where they have shared embraces. He also noted seeing James' wife, Savannah, whom he described as a "gracious, wonderful person."
James played for the Heat from 2010 to 2014, winning two NBA championships in 2012 and 2013 alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. During this period, James earned NBA Finals MVP and league MVP honors in both championship years.
In 2014, after the Heat were defeated by the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals, James became a free agent and rejoined the Cleveland Cavaliers. Riley admitted to being disappointed by this decision at the time, as he believed the Heat were on the cusp of building a dynasty.
"LeBron and I, we haven’t talked much, but you let go of that stuff," Riley said. "I was very disappointed because I thought we were looking at a dynasty, or something dynastic, and we now had a chance to add other players to it in 14."
Riley expressed that he does not wish to dwell on the past and would welcome seeing James at a golf course in the future, despite not being a golfer himself.
Recent betting odds from Kalshi have positioned the Heat as the favorites to sign James in the upcoming NBA free agency period.