{"id":1921871,"date":"2023-05-01T02:58:26","date_gmt":"2023-05-01T06:58:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-if-pat-rileys-move-from-knicks-to-heat-never-happened\/"},"modified":"2023-05-01T03:06:29","modified_gmt":"2023-05-01T07:06:29","slug":"what-if-pat-rileys-move-from-knicks-to-heat-never-happened","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-if-pat-rileys-move-from-knicks-to-heat-never-happened\/","title":{"rendered":"What if Pat Riley\u2019s Move From Knicks to Heat Never Happened?"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwhat-if-pat-rileys-move-from-knicks-to-heat-never-happened%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1921871&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>e there to gawk at the 19-year-old amateur who was making waves in the golf world: Tiger Woods.<\/p>\n<h2>More From Mike Vaccaro<\/h2>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft\">\n<div class=\"inline-module inline-module--columnist inline-module--author\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__inner\">\n<h3 class=\"inline-module__heading widget-heading widget-heading--sm\">\n        <span class=\"widget-heading__sub\">Check out these articles:<\/span><br \/>\n      <\/h3>\n<div class=\"inline-module__content\">\n<ul class=\"inline-module__list\">\n<li class=\"story story--list\">\n<h3 class=\"story__headline headline headline--xxs\">\n              <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/04\/30\/knicks-need-quick-response-after-heat-steal-home-court-advantage\/\" data-ga-event=\"{\"category\":\"More From\",\"action\":\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/04\/30\/knicks-need-quick-response-after-heat-steal-home-court-advantage\/\"}\" data-image-url=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/04\/newspress-collage-26832504-1682896109376.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;1682881842\"><br \/>\n                Knicks need quick response after Heat steal home-court advantage<br \/>\n              <\/a><br \/>\n            <\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"story story--list\">\n<h3 class=\"story__headline headline headline--xxs\">\n              <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/04\/30\/this-series-vs-heat-has-everything-for-a-knicks-fan\/\" data-ga-event=\"{\"category\":\"More From\",\"action\":\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/04\/30\/this-series-vs-heat-has-everything-for-a-knicks-fan\/\"}\" data-image-url=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/04\/newspress-collage-26827527-1682845257885.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;1682831016\"><br \/>\n                This series vs. Heat has everything for a Knicks fan \u2014 including a villain<br \/>\n              <\/a><br \/>\n            <\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"story story--list\">\n<h3 class=\"story__headline headline headline--xxs\">\n              <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/04\/29\/jets-aaron-rodgers-smart-to-avoid-messing-with-legacy-of-uniform-numbers\/\" data-ga-event=\"{\"category\":\"More From\",\"action\":\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/04\/29\/jets-aaron-rodgers-smart-to-avoid-messing-with-legacy-of-uniform-numbers\/\"}\" data-image-url=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/04\/newspress-collage-26822779-1682794630939.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;1682780296\"><br \/>\n                Jets\u2019 Aaron Rodgers smart to avoid messing with legacy of uniform numbers<br \/>\n              <\/a><br \/>\n            <\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"story story--list\">\n<h3 class=\"story__headline headline headline--xxs\">\n              <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/04\/27\/doors-open-for-knicks-to-author-legendary-hoops-story\/\" data-ga-event=\"{\"category\":\"More From\",\"action\":\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/04\/27\/doors-open-for-knicks-to-author-legendary-hoops-story\/\"}\" data-image-url=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/04\/Immanuel-Quickley-3.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all\"><br \/>\n                Door&#8217;s open for Knicks to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-if-pat-rileys-move-from-knicks-to-heat-never-happened\/\" title=\"What if Pat Riley\u2019s Move From Knicks to Heat Never Happened?\">author legendary hoops story<\/a><br \/>\n              <\/a><br \/>\n            <\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"story story--list\">\n<h3 class=\"story__headline headline headline--xxs\">\n              <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/04\/27\/knicks-officially-team-no-one-wants-to-see-in-nba-playoffs\/\" data-ga-event=\"{\"category\":\"More From\",\"action\":\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/04\/27\/knicks-officially-team-no-one-wants-to-see-in-nba-playoffs\/\"}\" data-image-url=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/04\/newspress-collage-26778540-1682567838018.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;1682553532\"><br \/>\n                The Knicks officially a team no one wants to play<br \/>\n              <\/a><br \/>\n            <\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>But it was Woods who stole the show, with his powerful drives and precise shots. He finished the day with a 74, a respectable score for an amateur playing in his first U.S. Open.<\/p>\n<p>Woods went on to become one of the greatest golfers of all time, winning numerous major championships and breaking records along the way. But that day at Shinnecock Hills will always be remembered as the moment when a young Tiger Woods announced his arrival on the world stage.<\/p>\n<p>icant aspects of the team\u2019s operations. Unfortunately, these desires were not met.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>The Day New York City Shook<\/h2>\n<p>It was a day of seismic events. The US Open was being played at one of the country&#8217;s most beloved courses, and Tiger Woods was making his debut. The Devils were about to face off against the Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Finals. And out in California, O.J. Simpson was trying on a glove that seemed a bit too tight.<\/p>\n<p>But the news that shook the city that day was the resignation of Pat Riley from the Knicks. After four incredible seasons, in which he led the team to 223 wins and within a hair&#8217;s breadth of the NBA championship, Riley was quitting.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGUTLESS!\u201d screamed the back page of the newspaper. \u201cQUITTER!\u201d shouted the front page. And the fury only multiplied when it became apparent that Riley wasn&#8217;t leaving to find himself on a beach somewhere or to spend more time with his family. The Miami Heat had already agreed to each of his 14 demands, and the Knicks were left to settle for $4 million and Miami&#8217;s first<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/drew-brees-announces-retirement\/\" title=\"Drew Brees Announces Retirement\">-round draft pick<\/a> in 1996.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo team can realize its potential when its head coach, the person most intimately involved with the players, cannot make final, critical decisions on matters bearing directly and intensely on the team, its performance and its future,\u201d Riley had written in the most famous fax in NBA history. \u201cI consistently and repeatedly expressed my desire and need to be charged with the ultimate responsibility for all significant aspects of the team\u2019s operations. Unfortunately, these desires were not met.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>The Day Tiger Woods Shook the Ground<\/h3>\n<p>But let&#8217;s go back to the beginning of that fateful day. Tiger Woods was playing his first Open, and the grounds shook with each birdie he made. Even the seasoned pros were intrigued by the 19-year-old junior member of the group.<\/p>\n<p>Later, as Price happily spoke of the craziness, another bolt of thunder sounded a few feet away. The commotion was summed up in two words by one fellow in green slacks and a yellow Izod shirt who had a flip-phone pressed to his ear: \u201cHoly s\u2013t!\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/04\/pat-reilly-main-2-ap.jpg\"><br \/>\n    <button class=\"button button--modal-trigger\" aria-label=\"Open the image in a modal.\" data-modal-image=\"26816058\"><br \/>\n      <svg class=\"icon-plus\" fill=\"#fff\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 1033 1000\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\">\n        <path d=\"M380 364V0h273v355h380v290H653v355H380V645H0V355h380v9z\"><\/path>\n      <\/svg><br \/>\n    <\/button><br \/>\n  <\/a><figcaption>Pat Riley, pictured in 1993 after winning NBA Coach of the Year, bolted to the Heat two years later.<span class=\"credit\">AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Follow The Post&#8217;s Coverage of the Knicks vs. Heat NBA Playoff Series<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/04\/30\/knicks-need-quick-response-after-heat-steal-home-court-advantage\/\">Vaccaro: Knicks need a quick response in Game 2<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/04\/30\/jalen-brunson-rips-himself-for-knicks-game-1-debacle-vs-heat\/\">Jalen Brunson rips himself for Knicks&#8217; Game 1 debacle<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/04\/30\/knicks-didnt-take-advantage-of-jimmy-butler-gutting-out-injury\/\">Knicks didn&#8217;t take advantage of an injured Jimmy Butler<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2023\/04\/30\/nba-playoffs-knicks-crumble-in-second-half-as-heat-win-game-1\/\">Knicks crumble in second half as Heat take Game 1<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>The Sliding-Doors Mystery of Pat Riley and the Knicks<\/h2>\n<p>Back in 1995, Pat Riley left the New York Knicks, the team he had turned into the hottest ticket in town. He had grown restless due to the Knicks changing hands between three different corporate owners in the previous seven years. Despite his best efforts, an agreement could not be reached, and the gap between them remained. But what if that gap had been bridged? What if there could have been an agreement?<\/p>\n<p>Imagine how different the NBA would be if the Knicks had been the Heat for the last 28 years. It&#8217;s a question that fascinates everyone, including those who knew Riley well then and know him well still. They believe that if Riley had never left, there would be at least three or four more banners in the rafters. None. It is impossible to believe otherwise.<\/p>\n<h3>The Fundamental Problem<\/h3>\n<p>There are some fundamental problems with just trading in the Knicks\u2019 recent history for the Heat\u2019s, and one foundational one. A reason Riley had grown restless was because the Knicks had changed hands between three different corporate owners in the previous seven years. Not long after Riley left the Knicks, James L. Dolan was installed by his father to oversee his Garden interests. And in 1997, Cablevision bought out ITT, meaning Dolan now ran the entire operation. And at first glance, the marriage between Riley and Dolan seems more doomed than any nuptial involving a Kardashian.<\/p>\n<p>Except \u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLet\u2019s be brutally honest: Dolan is a star-f\u2013ker,\u201d one of Riley\u2019s old associates said. \u201cLook at how long he let Isiah Thomas run the show. Look at how long he put up with Glen Sather. And those guys won s\u2013t for him. If Pat kept the Knicks where they were supposed to be?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Added another: \u201cAnd the one thing nobody has ever said about Dolan is that he\u2019s cheap. He\u2019d have paid Pat every nickel he wanted, given him a fleet of private planes if he kept winning.<\/p>\n<h3>The Lingering Questions<\/h3>\n<p>A few <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/was-russia-collusion-server-data-pushed-in-violation-of-senate-ethics-rules\/\" title=\"Was Russia Collusion Server Data Pushed In Violation of Senate Ethics Rules?\">lingering questions remain<\/a> in the hearts and minds of Knicks fans who lived through that era:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What if that gap had been bridged?<\/li>\n<li>What if the 95th U.S. Open had been interrupted because Peter Vecsey had just reported that the Knicks had given Riley much of what the Heat soon gave him?<\/li>\n<li>What if Riley had never left?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/04\/pat-riley-updated-1.jpg\"><button class=\"button button--modal-trigger\" aria-label=\"Open the image in a modal.\" data-modal-image=\"26816475\"> \t<svg class=\"icon-plus\" fill=\"#fff\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 1033 1000\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\"><path d=\"M380 364V0h273v355h380v290H653v355H380V645H0V355h380v9z\"><\/path><\/svg> <\/button> <\/a><figcaption>Pat Riley speaks with Patrick Ewing during a Knicks game in 1993.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>These questions are a sliding-doors mystery that is equal parts fascinating and depressing. But one thing is for sure: if Riley had stayed with the Knicks, the NBA would be a very different league today.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vividseats.com\/new-york-knicks-tickets--sports-nba-basketball\/performer\/602?utm_source=nypost.com&#038;utm_medium=referral&#038;utm_campaign=article-reusable-block&#038;wsUser=1006\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\">Want to catch a game? You can find tickets for all upcoming Knicks games here.<\/a><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n<h2>What if Pat Riley stayed with the Knicks?<\/h2>\n<p>Imagine a world where Pat Riley never left the New York Knicks. A world where he continued to coach and eventually transitioned into a front office role, building championship teams year after year. It&#8217;s a world that could have been, and one that Riley&#8217;s old friends and associates still ponder.<\/p>\n<h3>The missed opportunity<\/h3>\n<p>In 1995, Riley shocked the city when he left the Knicks for the Miami Heat. It was a move that changed the course of both franchises. The Knicks struggled to find success without Riley, while the Heat went on to win three championships with him at the helm.<\/p>\n<p>But what if Riley had stayed in New York? One of the reasons Paramount dumped the Garden was because in 1994, the whole operation made just $12 million profit. In 2022, that number was $84 million. If a better basketball product would&#8217;ve meant a fatter bottom line, Riley, as a minority owner, would&#8217;ve shared in the bounty.<\/p>\n<h3>The potential success<\/h3>\n<p>If the Knicks had met Riley&#8217;s demands, he could&#8217;ve had the same security in New York, assuming he&#8217;d delivered the same success. And who&#8217;s to say he couldn&#8217;t have convinced LeBron James to be a Knick the way he talked him into playing for the Heat? Even now, who else can tell a Kevin Durant or a Joel Embiid: &#8216;You want references? Start with Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O\u2019Neal, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>Riley&#8217;s old mates all believe he would&#8217;ve coached at least 10 more years, then handed the reins over to someone he&#8217;d groomed and focused on assembling title-worthy teams all year. And that&#8217;s maybe the most important thing to realize. Dolan handed the keys to the castle to Phil Jackson, maybe the best coach who&#8217;d never spent a minute in an NBA front office. It&#8217;s not a sure thing you can do both things well. Riley has done both things well. He has won four titles as a coach, one as a coach and president, and two more as strictly a president.<\/p>\n<h3>The missed opportunity, continued<\/h3>\n<p>And if that had happened in New York instead of Miami, at one of the league\u2019s charter franchises and not with an expansion team? &#8220;It makes you want to cry, doesn\u2019t it?&#8221; one of Riley\u2019s friends said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/04\/pat-riley-updated-4.jpg\"><button class=\"button button--modal-trigger\" aria-label=\"Open the image in a modal.\" data-modal-image=\"26816472\"> \t<svg class=\"icon-plus\" fill=\"#fff\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 1033 1000\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\"><path d=\"M380 364V0h273v355h380v290H653v355H380V645H0V355h380v9z\"><\/path><\/svg> <\/button> <\/a><figcaption>Pat Riley, pictured in 1994, shocked the city when he bolted for Miami one year later.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Join the Discussion<\/h2>\n<div>\n  <button type=\"button\" class=\"social-icons__icon social-icons__icon--comments social-icons__icon--comments--has-count social-icons__icon--comments--inline\" aria-label=\"Post a comment.\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"social-icons__icon--comments__count\">43<\/span><br \/>\n  <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"comments-inline-cta__wrap\">\n<p>What do you think?<\/p>\n<p>    <a href=\"http:\/\/bonginoreport.com\/#spotim-specific\" class=\"comments-inline-cta__button-link\"><strong>Post a comment.<\/strong><\/a>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3>The Dream of Coaching in New York<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cI could have seen myself ending my career in New York, even though I don\u2019t know if any coach could ever last that long there. I had great respect for Red Holzman, and admired the job he did. He\u2019s the only coach up there in the [Garden\u2019s] rafters. I used to envision my name next to his one day.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>These are the words of Riley, a former coach, who dreamed of coaching in New York and leaving his mark on the city. But he&#8217;s not the only one with this dream.<\/p>\n<div id=\"wpcom-liveblog-container\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>More From: Mike Vaccaro Knicks need quick response after Heat steal home-court advantage This series vs. Heat has everything for a Knicks fan \u2014 including a villain Jets\u2019 Aaron Rodgers smart to avoid messing with legacy of uniform numbers Door&#8217;s open for Knicks to author legendary hoops story The Knicks officially a team no one<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1921872,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[547],"tags":[9694,4060,11181,9719,25501],"class_list":["post-1921871","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-bongino-report","tag-happened","tag-heat","tag-knicks","tag-pat","tag-rileys"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1921871","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1921871"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1921871\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1921872"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1921871"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1921871"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1921871"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}