PAT RILEY: "ACQUIRING SHAQ WAS BIGGER THAN SIGNING BIG 3"

[Sccit]

Pat Riley: Acquiring Shaquille O'Neal Was Bigger Than Getting Big 3

Thomas
DuffySep 2, 2016

Pat Riley recently told Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that trading for Shaquille O’Neal was "bigger than any acquisition that we ever made, including the Big Three."

Bigger than drafting the best player in franchise history, Dwyane Wade, in 2003?

Bigger than the 2010 signings of LeBronJames and Chris Bosh, who won two titles in four years?


Apparently so.

Riley views the team's first championship, delivered by Wade and O'Neal in 2006, in high esteem.

Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images
"The seminal moment to really make us really, really legitimate,” Riley told Winderman of O'Neal's arrival. "He turned our franchise around. He gave us real legitimacy."

Shaq will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame next week, which is the reason for Riley's praise.




I AGREE

 

[Bernie Madoff]

The REAL BIG THREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MJ Truth]

Of course he would feel that way, he was actually involved in the acquisition. The big three came together without him despite him getting all of the credit for putting it together out of obligation to give the white man credit for everything.

 

[Sccit]

The REAL BIG THREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[madness]

the Shaq acquisition is what elevated from Miami from middle-of-the-pack NBA team to championship status, so I could see why he said that

 

[Bernie Madoff]

But they were never referred to as the big 3...

 

[SadimirPutin]

the Shaq acquisition is what elevated from Miami from middle-of-the-pack NBA team to championship status, so I could see why he said that

Riley is on drugs

 

[Originalman]

Of course he would feel that way, he was actually involved in the acquisition. The big three came together without him despite him getting all of the credit for putting it together out of obligation to give the white man credit for everything.

True.

The shaq signing also solidified the heat as a true championship team in many folks eyes. Once they got shaq the feeling by many was that the team would be in the finals.

This was never the outlook for many when it came to Miami even when they had Zo and Hardaway.

Also IMO it was a big fukk you to the league from Pat after back in the 90s the league took Juwan Howard from him who would have been teamed up with Zo.

I think Pat knew with shaq he finally had the opportunity to have two superstars if and when Wade developed.

 

[Newzz]

the Shaq acquisition is what elevated from Miami from middle-of-the-pack NBA team to championship status, so I could see why he said that

Yep.

 

[blalienz]

Of course he would feel that way, he was actually involved in the acquisition. The big three came together without him despite him getting all of the credit for putting it together out of obligation to give the white man credit for everything.

 

[Sccit]

But they were never referred to as the big 3...

THEY ARE NOW

 

[G-Zeus]

But they were never referred to as the big 3...

all finals mvp

 

[Primetime21]

In June 2004, by then working in the sole role of Heat president after abdicating his Heat coach responsibilities to Stan Van Gundy, Riley was granted permission by Heat owner Micky Arison to meet with Lakers owner Jerry Buss to discuss the Lakers' coaching vacancy created by the departure of Phil Jackson.

"We sat and we talked about the team," Riley says. "And I remember the one conversation that came up and I asked them the question, I said, 'What about Shaquille and Kobe?' And they said . . . "

Riley pauses, as if conjuring the tension of two decades earlier between O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.

"They really didn't want to talk about it," he says of the meeting with the since-deceased Lakers owner. "And I said the only way that I could come and coach the team is they give me a chance to put these two back together, to build this relationship and to keep this thing going forward, because I thought with their team, and what they had just accomplished, that they could win more championships together in Los Angeles.

And right after that, we all went upstairs to dinner and that was the last I heard about them wanting me to coach -- but they definitely would like to make a trade with us. So I don't know if he brought me out there to really coach the team, or if he brought me out there to speculate on whether or not we would trade Wade and Caron Butler and everything else. And I said no. But when they called back, when Mitch [Kupchak, the Lakers' general manager] called back, there is no doubt we had interest and that then formulated into an offer and then a trade that was made for Caron and Lamar [Odom] and Brian Grant with the first-round pick. And we ended up getting Shaq and we ended up getting the championship."

Kobe/shaq had legendary stories from their feud alone, the fukkery with Riley in the mix would've been off the charts cause you know he would side with Kobe.

 

[Sccit]

PAT RILEY MAY BE THE GOAT BASKETBALL PERSONALITY

 

[Jesus Is Lord]

He's mad and hurt. Hurt and mad.

Lebron and Wade left his egotistical ass in the dust.