Rich Paul dives into why he thinks Heat president Pat Riley is not a fan of today's NBA

Miami Heat team president Pat Riley is one of the most successful figures in NBA history. Whether as a player, head coach, or team executive, Riley has cemented himself as a true legend of the game. Since he has been part of the league for the longest time, he can have a skewed perspective at times. 

As a superagent of many NBA players with Klutch Sports, Rich Paul has gotten to know Pat Riley over the years. They have been dealing with each other for a long time, which has led to Paul becoming familiar with Riley's preferences.

Paul knows Riley is not a big fan of today's NBA

The Heat have been an impressive team over the past few decades with Riley in charge. They have three championships alongside seven Finals appearances over the past two decades. This has led to Riley being respected for his impact on the Heat's historical success.

Unfortunately, the Heat have not reached their full potential in recent years. They made the NBA Finals in 2023, but they have not reached that kind of success since. 

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Paul has become an experienced agent for players who have worked with the Heat. Since he is always present at the NBA Draft, Paul has tried to link some of his prospects with the Heat and Riley's staff. With their experience working together, Paul has learned more about Riley's sensibilities for team building.

"There’s a competitive nature that you have to have within you night in and night out for Pat Riley. Whether he’s a coach, FO guy. Also, there’s accountability," Paul said on his Game Over show with Max Kellerman.

"So when Pat is evaluating talent, he’s not just evaluating your skill set, he’s evaluating your capabilities to do all the things he knows it actually takes to win."

This is the important context behind the Heat's team-building in recent years. They are a superb franchise with talented players, but they might not be getting the most out of their potential because of Riley's preferences that might not fit with what works in the current NBA. 

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