NBA teams wait for the Free Agency period to bolster their squad by trying to sign stars or other role players. They offer contracts in either the moratorium period or during free agency. However, those rules are hard to monitor as many of the NBA players are friends. Like Lebron and Anthony Davis.
Even most of the NBA teams hire former NBA greats to work in different departments of the team. Many current players and superstars adore these legends and have great relations with them. On All-Star weekend all these high level players meet up and spend the whole weekend together. How is the NBA supposed to have a control over all the conversations they have?
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President of Basketball Operations of the Miami Heat and the Godfather of the NBA Pat Riley was on the Le Batard and friends show. A question came his way about who influenced Lebron to come to Miami in 2010. Was it him or Wade? And if LeBron wanted to come back were the keys still under the door mat?
In response to that second question he said,
“I would leave the key under the doormat, if he would call me and let me know that he’s coming. I would do that, but I doubt very much that key , that key is rusted now. LeBron, look, he’s one of the greatest of all time. And for four years down here, if we want to go back and remember what those four years were like, it was four years in the Finals, four years of excitement, two world championships. The LeBron, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Ray Allen, Shane Battier, Udonis, it was the best time for the Heat. So I wish him nothing but the best, and if he ever wanted to come back, then I’ll put a new shiny key under that mat.”
He even added and said they he might get fined for what he said. And that’s exactly what happened. The NBA Fined Pat Riley $25,000 for violating the anti-tampering laws. They tweeted out this statement in succession of the fine.
The following was released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/TkLd0pafJH
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) June 9, 2021
The rules that are currently set in place are just fines which are pennies compared to what these stars and teams would earn. They could make that money back in a game or a small endorsement. The NBA would need to either get of these rules completely or add tougher restrictions. Maybe taking away future draft picks might seem harsh but if they really need change that’s one way to get it.
Does that mean that LeBron is coming back to Miami? Probably not but you never know what might happen in the NBA. Maybe someday down the line they reunite but not now.
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