NBA Miami Heat

Goran Dragic Trade Proves Pat Riley Still Has Some Magic

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By @blackirishpr

Miami Heat

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Talk about ending things in a flurry. The final minutes of today’s NBA trade deadline ended with a rush that could only rival that of a veteran football team licking their lips as they zone in to blitz a third-string quarterback.

And in old-school deadline fashion, Pat Riley broke through to the forefront and snatched the prize of point guard Goran Dragic and his brother Zoran.

What many people do not realize is that before the blockbuster signings of Chris Bosh and LeBron James, summer contracts were not really Riley’s thing. Instead he chose to build the Miami Heat by picking at teams that had disgruntled players — vulture style. If you’re prone not to believe it, just check out the acquisitions of Jamal Mashburn, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Hardaway and Alonzo Mourning.

The truth is that Riley has not been great at drafting — besides Dwyane Wade – so giving up two future first round picks for the Dragic brothers is not particularly a big deal. Neither is giving up some of Miami’s summer of 2016 cap space due to the millions that they will have to spend on their new point guard and center surprise Hassan Whiteside.

Why? Because there was little to no guarantee that they would be able to hook a big fish like Kevin Durant or offer Anthony Davis enough money for the New Orleans Pelicans to let their star restricted free agent walk.

Miami Heat

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Everyone, including me, doubted Riley’s grasp on what the Heat needed to improve, but if we had paid attention to his words it would have all been a little clearer:

“We’re waiting to see if something opens up. And there’s about three or four teams that are still, ‘Well, are we in or are we out?’, that all of a sudden will say, ‘OK, he’s available, they’re available.’ “ (sunsentinel.com)

It was easy to roll your eyes when reading that quote, however once Dragic put the pressure on the Phoenix Suns to move him and marked Miami as a destination, there was little doubt that he would get his man — even as Suns owner Robert Sarver leaked whispers that he would keep last season’s Most Improved Player and make him suffer by not being able to get a fifth year in free agency.

In typical Riley fashion he was also able to move many people that the Heat truly have no use for. As part of the three-team trade, he was able to dump Josh Hamilton and Danny Granger to Phoenix, who have barely been able to give them anything, and their biggest disappointment Norris Cole to New Orleans with one of their lone bright side shooters, Shawne Williams.

Now the Heat have two open roster spots to potentially go for a buyout casualty, a free agent (Andray Blatche or Ray Allen) and maybe another D-League shot blocker in Khem Birch.

As the story goes, never bet against a building coach Riley.

Richard Nurse is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @blackirishpr or add him to your network on Google.

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