Pat Riley Denies The Miami Heat Are In Rebuild Mode Entering Next Season

The Miami Heat have failed to have a losing season in five years

Apr 12, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) calls out a play against / Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat look to remain competitive despite this season’s first-round playoff exit.

The Heat entered the postseason as the eighth seed for the second consecutive year. The 2022-23 Heat made a run to the NBA Finals. This season’s team could only pick up one playoff win.

And with trade rumors consistently swirling around the roster and contracts decisions, Heat team president Pat Riley assured that there will be no rebuild.

"Our organization is not about rebuilding," Riley said. "I'll never use the word. We'll retool as if we're rebuilding to try to make it better. We're not going to avoid anything if we have an opportunity to bring in who we think is the critical piece. There's only a couple of them in the league, for Christ's sake. For the most part, we have to try to control those things that we can control." 

The Heat have not historically been a team to opt for a long rebuild project. They have not missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since 2001-02 and 2002-03. 

The Heat have undergone recent retooling projects as well. The team last missed the playoffs in 2018-19. The Heat signed Jimmy Butler in free agency the following summer. The team also brought in Goran Dragic after LeBron James left the team in order to stay afloat in the East.

The Heat have decisions to make about their assets in the coming months. Jimmy Butler is eligible for a contract extension. Tyler Herro may once again appear in trade discussions. There are multiple stars throughout the league expected available as well. This Heat roster may look different by the end of the summer, but a rebuild is not in the cards.

Casey Fahrer is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He can be reached at caseyfahrer716@gmail.com.

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