Dwyane Wade Suggests Pat Riley Played Role In LeBron James' Departure

Sean Jordan | Feb 26, 2025

Feb 17, 2019; Charlotte, NC, USA; Team Lebron forward Lebron James of the Los Angeles Lakers (23) and Team Lebron guard Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat (3) after the 2019 NBA All-Star Game at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Dwyane Wade and LeBron James are forever enshrined in Miami heat history.

Wade played 14 seasons with the team. James joined the Heat in 2010 as part of his famous "The Decision." Along with Chris Bosh, the three led Miami to four Finals appearances in a row from 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. The team would win two of those championships whereas Wade added another ring with the team in 2006 prior to the Big Three linking up.

During a recent appearance on former guard Lou Williams' podcast Changing the Game, Wade revealed the moment he knew James might leave the organization and rejoin the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"One thing you don’t do, is [mess] with LeBron's cookies," Wade began. "It was too much micro managing at that point. You're talking about a team who [made] four Finals in a row. You don't need to micro manage us and I felt that [Pat Riley] did. He went a little too far with his micro managing at points. We were grown men, you don't take cookies from us."

Wade claims Pat Riley took cookies out of James' hands. Riley has served as the Heat team president since 2008. This season, he has especially been criticized by the Miami fan base with his management throughout the Jimmy Butler trade saga.

LeBron James' cookie story remains somewhat true with certain athletes in today's NBA. After the blockbuster Luka Doncic trade that shook the league earlier this month, a clip resurfaced of Dallas Mavericks Assistant GM Michael Finley taking a beer out of Doncic's hand after clinching a Western Conference berth.

The NBA has become a league run by the players. Player movement is occurring the most it ever has. Stars like Butler and James Harden have publicly requested trades and those requests were successful.

When there is strict micro management from those in the front office, it could have detrimental consequences. In Riley's case, it may have cost the Miami Heat more seasons from one of the most decorated NBA players of all time.

LOVE VISITS FLAGG

As a veteran, Kevin Love has embraced a mentor presence with the Miami Heat.

Love has been a member of the Heat for two years and amid his seven-game absence, he is expanding his presence to the world of college basketball.

The Duke Blue Devils have been training at the Miami Heat practice facility prior to Tuesday's matchup against the Miami Hurricanes. Led by potential 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, the Blue Devils are ranked as the No. 2 team in the nation.

Flagg and Love have similar archetypes as basketball players. The five-time All-Star paid the prospect and his impressive college basketball team a visit during their training session in Miami.

This is not the first interaction between the basketball stars. Last summer prior to Flagg's enrollment at Duke, Love shared advice to the young 6'9" forward.

This season, Flagg is averaging 19.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 48.6 percent from the field. He looks to help lead the Blue Devils to their first championship since 2015.

Love is averaging 5.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and one assist while shooting a career-low 35 percent from the field. He has only played in 19 games this season.

Love is set to return to the team for Wednesday's home matchup against the Atlanta Hawks after missing time due to personal reasons. He has not seen the floor since Feb. 5. His return comes at a time where the Heat move past the Jimmy Butler era and hope to sneak into the playoffs. The Heat currently hold the No. 9 seed with a 26-30 record.

HASLEM ON CELTICS FEUD

Even after retirement, Udonis Haslem continues to publicly reflect on his historic career.

Haslem was a member of the Miami Heat for 20 straight seasons, facing off against different generations of basketball superstars. The Heat and Boston Celtics were rival teams throughout the 2000s when Haslem was an integral piece of the rotation. Among the rival stars, the Celtics were led by Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.

On a recent appearance on former NBA stars Zach Randolph and Tony Allen's podcast, Out the Mud, Haslem reflected on his feud with the Celtics.

"My beef is not with the current Celtics," Haslem said. "Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, I got a number of love for them boys. And my beef ain’t even with certain people that played for the Celtics. And I’m gonna tell you right now I can say this on TV: My beef ain’t even with Kevin Garnett. He said something the other day and I was like 'You know what? Me and KG, cool.' You know what I'm saying? That's real. Paul Pierce? We gonna have to figure that out." 

When Tony Allen offered to help squash the beef, Haslem responded, "I agree a thousand percent, but I’m gonna say this man, I just come from a place where you just can’t say what you want to say to people. That comes consequences with that. And they got to a point sometimes where they used to say things on the court to people I just didn’t think it was okay."

Pierce made his presence known on the court over his 20-season career. He is notorious for his intense work ethic on the court and has been called 'arrogant' by many in NBA circles. That mindset, along with 10 All-Star appearances and a champonship ring, helped earn him a spot in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.

Sean Jordan is a contributor to Miami Heat On Sports Illustrated. He can be reached at sjorda06@syr.edu.

Follow our coverage on Facebook

X: @SeanKJordan