Jack Ramsay: Pat Riley will replace Stan Van Gundy as Heat Coach

[Evilmav2]

Riley to coach Heat? Van Gundy hasn't heard

ESPN.com news services


With no commitment from Pat Riley -- and no emphatic, public denials -- speculation continues to mount that the team's president will take the reins from Stan Van Gundy and coach the Miami Heat next season.

"Pat Riley has indicated to Stan Van Gundy in reports I have received that he intends to return as coach of the Heat," ESPN analyst Dr. Jack Ramsay told the network on air Thursday. "I don't know where this leaves Stan Van Gundy, but I'm pretty certain that Riley will return as coach."

Ramsay, a Hall of Fame coach and a former TV analyst for the Heat, indicated the coaching change is expected in the next week or two.

"I haven't heard anything," Van Gundy told the Miami Herald for Friday's editions, declining further comment. Van Gundy, who has two years remaining on his contract, said recently he would work for the Heat only as their head coach.

Ramsay said he spoke with Riley during the NBA playoffs, and Riley indicated that he missed the rush of coaching. Although Shaquille O'Neal reportedly was unhappy at not getting the ball in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Pistons, there has been no sign that Heat players have pushed for Van Gundy's ouster; in fact, according to the Herald, several players have privately expressed that Van Gundy remain coach.

In eight seasons as the Heat's coach, Riley's teams were 354-270 in the regular season and 18-25 in the playoffs. Riley won four championships with the Lakers and also coached the Knicks before joining the Heat in 1995.

Owner Micky Arison is not believed to have asked Riley to resume coaching the team, a high-ranking team official told the Herald.

ESPN.com Link

[vjz]

Not surprising. Riley must've dreamt of coaching the Heat ever since the Shaq trade.

Stan Van Gundy has a great coaching career ahead of him, and he should just move on. Seattle would be a great fit for him.

[Hitman]

Wow. I have always been a Riley fan because he is a great coach who preaches personal development within his players, but this just wouldn't be right.

[dirno2000]

It’s bad enough that Riley about to stab Van Gundy in the back after bailing on the team last year, but the way he’s hanging his coach out to dry is despicable.

If he goes through with this, Pat Riley is going to lose the respect of a lot of people.

[Nash13]

several players have privately expressed that Van Gundy remain coach.

If i played on that team, i'd hold out if Riley takes over. What a douche.

[Pirate]

Sounds like a done deal. What a snake.

[MavKikiNYC]

July 15, 2005
Heat Cool to Rumors of Riley's Return to Coaching
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 11:25 p.m. ET

MIAMI (AP) -- Reports that Miami Heat president Pat Riley is contemplating a return to coaching continued Friday, nearly a month after he announced plans to ''take a little bit more of an active participation'' during the coming season.

Team officials declined to comment Friday on the reports, and coach Stan Van Gundy -- Riley's longtime top assistant who was promoted before the start of the 2003-04 season -- told The Miami Herald he has not ''heard anything.''

Riley was unavailable for comment Friday, and attempts by The AP to reach Van Gundy were not immediately successful.

''I don't know what's going to go on,'' Heat guard Dwyane Wade said Friday night. ''Right now, Stan Van Gundy's our coach.''

Riley resigned a few days before the start of the 2003-04 season, turning the team over to Van Gundy -- who's gone 101-63 during the regular season, took the Heat to the Eastern Conference semifinals in his first season and guided Miami to the conference finals this past season.

During a conference call with reporters on June 17, Riley lauded the job Van Gundy has done as coach. The team gave Van Gundy a contract extension a year ago believed to be worth $2.5 million annually.

''Over the last couple of years, Stan has done a great job and I've stayed way into the background,'' Riley said during that call. ''I may take a little bit more of an active participation in some of the things, but for the most part I'm content at doing what I'm doing.''

Since then, Riley has said he was ''embarrassed'' over the ''firestorm'' that stemmed from that remark, and has denied that he has any immediate plans to remove Van Gundy from the sidelines.

Yet several outlets, either without naming or citing sources, have insisted in recent days that Riley's return is indeed possible. Jack Ramsay, a former NBA coach and Heat broadcaster, said on ESPN Thursday that ''Riley has indicated to Stan Van Gundy ... that he intends to return as coach of the Heat,'' and the Herald said a high-ranking team official believes a realistic chance of a change exists.

Riley has never denied that he misses coaching, even acknowledging that it was difficult to sit in the stands when the Heat made their playoff run this past season.

In 21 seasons as an NBA coach, Riley won 1,110 regular-season games, 155 playoff games and led the Los Angeles Lakers of the ''Showtime'' era to NBA championships in 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988. He also coached the New York Knicks (1991-95) and the Heat (1995-2003).

Last summer, Riley met with the Lakers about the coaching vacancy they had at the time. A few weeks after that meeting, Riley completed a deal that sent three players and a draft pick to the Lakers in exchange for Shaquille O'Neal.