Fans Criticize Pat Riley After Paul George Signs With Philadelphia 76ers!
Miami Heat fans had a hard time sleeping early Monday morning. Hours before sunrise, the Philadelphia 76ers made a major move by acquiring Paul George from the Los Angeles Clippers in the middle of the night. Despite the late hour, Heat fans were quick to express their displeasure with the news, directing much of their frustration at Heat team president Pat Riley.
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The Sixers signed George to a four-year, $212-million deal, pairing him with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. With this trio, which now includes a healthy Embiid, Philly is considered one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference. Embiid and Maxey are both All-Star caliber players, while George, at 34, remains a significant contributor.
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The George signing was the second major acquisition in the East. On Sunday, the Orlando Magic agreed to terms with guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Caldwell-Pope will bolster a Magic team that won the Southeast Division last season. Orlando already boasts one of the league’s top frontcourts with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Adding Caldwell-Pope’s championship experience (he won titles with the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers) further strengthens their roster.
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This brings the focus back to Riley. This could mark the second consecutive year that the Heat have failed to make significant improvements while their competition has used the offseason to get stronger. Last summer, the Boston Celtics added Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, resulting in the first championship of the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown era in Boston.
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The worst part for Riley is that the Heat have limited flexibility in terms of chasing a big-name free agent to enhance the roster. It is up to him to find a suitable trade, likely involving Tyler Herro or Duncan Robinson, that leads to improvement.
If not, the Heat will enter next season with the same core for a third straight year, potentially spending it looking up at the rest of the conference.
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