Report: LeBron James’ camp felt like Pat Riley pulled unfriendly ‘power move’ after star joined Miami Heat

One of the more memorable moments in the history of NBA free agency came when LeBron James announced his decision to join forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat. At the time, he was fresh off an MVP season with the Cleveland Cavaliers during which he averaged 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game.

However, James’ camp apparently felt like Pat Riley made an unfriendly power move involving James’ friend and associate Randy Mims after the star joined Miami. Specifically, Mims was supposedly promised a player-liaison job with the Heat but then saw his offer get retracted.

“Back in 2010, after Mims says he was being promised a job with the Heat, the same player-liaison gig he’d had with the Cavs, the offer was pulled,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin wrote.

“Sources told ESPN that James’ camp thought the decision not to employ Mims at the time was a power move by Heat president Pat Riley, his way of letting the eight-year veteran know that the team operates a certain way, and that even a superstar like James would have to fall in line.

“A Heat team source who worked for the organization in 2010 disputes that characterization, telling ESPN that it was actually the NBA that blocked Mims’ hire after Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, who had ripped James in a public letter after he’d left the Cavaliers, ‘made a huge stink about it.'”

Given the conflicting perspectives, it’s tough to tell who was actually responsible for the fact that Mims didn’t land the job he was supposedly promised.

What’s certain is that Riley has long had a reputation for his no-nonsense approach. A prominent agent indicated earlier this season when the trade rumors surrounding Jimmy Butler were seemingly taking the NBA by storm that “you cannot intimidate Pat Riley.”

With all of the success that Riley has enjoyed as both a head coach and executive, it’s hard to argue that his philosophy of running a tight ship hasn’t paid dividends.

As a head coach, he led the Los Angeles Lakers to several championships in the 1980s and even was the head coach for the Heat when the team won its first title in franchise history in 2006. At that time, he was serving as the Heat’s head coach and president.

Since that 2006 title, the Heat have won more two more championships with Riley as their president. Those rings came in 2012 and 2013 during the Big 3 era.

There’s certainly an argument to be made that Riley is a disciplinarian, but on top of the collective success his teams have enjoyed over the years, his modus operandi has helped the Heat consistently get the most out of their players, whether they’re stars like James or mere rotation pieces.

Some feel like Riley’s best days are behind him, but he remains a legend in the NBA world who is still making critical decisions for the Heat. He is hoping to lead Miami to another NBA championship in the future.