Inside The Heat

Ex-NBA Player Lists Top Two Candidates To Replace Miami Heat's Pat Riley

Shandel Richardson

Oct 23, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat president Pat Riley addresses the crowd during the Pat Riley Court dedication ceremony at halftime at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Oct 23, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat president Pat Riley addresses the crowd during the Pat Riley Court dedication ceremony at halftime at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
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Miami Heat team president Pat Riley is taking plenty criticism amid the losing streak and trade of Jimmy Butler.

There was a debate on the subject on a recent episode of ESPN's First Take. Former NBA player Jay Williams gave his take.

"With all the respect in the world to the legendary status of Pat Riley, I think it's a really difficult situation for the organization to make considering how loyal Micky Arison is to Pat Riley and their relationship as family and that bond over the years," Williams said. "But if we are making the mention that Pat Riley should retire, I think there's two people for the job."

Williams named the top candidates. The first was coach Erik Spoelstra. Williams said assistant Chris Quinn could replace Spoelstra.

"It would probably be Erik Spoelstra to recuse himself away from coaching," Williams said. "I think Chris Quinn has built such a great camraderie with the players and is respected in those hallways for him to become the next head coach of the organization. I think the history that Erik has had at that franchise from being involved on the tape side to working his way up, I think it's a natural transition for Erik Spoelstra and his relationship to talent."

Williams said the second was team executive Nick Arison, who is the son of owner Micky Arison.

"He's been able to evaluate talent his entire time there," Williams said. "Nothing has been given to Nick Arison. Nick Arison has had to earn every step of the way he's advanced in Heat Culture. He started from the bottom and worked his way up."

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star.  TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here