LeBron James changed the landscape of the entire NBA when he announced his decision to join the Miami Heat in the summer of 2010. There, he joined fellow stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to form one of the most dominant teams of all time.
With LeBron at the helm, the Heat rolled through the NBA, reaching four straight NBA Finals and winning two championships along the way. But by 2014, the signs of change were clear. Coming off a lopsided loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the 2014 NBA Finals, and with a young Kyrie Irving in Cleveland, LeBron made the choice to head back home.
Since LeBron’s exit, the Heat have faced their share of adversity. Bosh was forced into early retirement due to blood clot issues, and Wade dealt with injuries, aging, and contentious contract situations before moving on. Jimmy Butler has brought the Heat back to relevance with two NBA Finals appearances, but Miami still hasn’t captured a title since LeBron moved on.
Now, Heat president Pat Riley recently made a bold assertion about what could have been. Riley believes that had LeBron not left Miami, the team could have won up to six NBA championships.
“I wasn’t angry, but it did sting that we couldn’t keep that team together,” Riley reflected. “I truly believe we had a squad capable of winning five or possibly six championships if we had managed to maintain our core and keep them healthy.”
Pat Riley says the Heat could have won up to six championships if LeBron had stayed
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— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 26, 2024
