Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James spent four years with the Miami Heat and went all the way to the NBA Finals each season, winning two rings in the process. Heat President Pat Riley played a crucial part in recruiting James to Florida.
Even though the two parted not in best terms, Riley would still be open to welcoming LeBron to his team should he wish to. However, he doubts that the four-time NBA champion would make such choice.
Since leaving Miami in 2014, James took the Cleveland Cavaliers to four straight Finals and helped the franchise win its first title in 2016. In 2018-2019, as a Laker he missed the playoffs. LeBron won his fourth ring in 2020 and exited the first round of the playoffs this season.
Via Peter Botte of New York Post:
“I would leave the key under the doormat if he would call me and let me know that he’s coming,” Riley said Friday in an interview on Dan Le Batard’s radio show. “I would do that, but I doubt very much that key…That key is rusted now.
“LeBron, look, he’s one of the greatest of all time, and for four years down here, if we want to go back and remember what those four years were like, it was four years in the Finals, four years of excitement, two world championships…It was the best time for the Heat. So I wish him nothing but the best, and if he ever wanted to come back, I’ll put a new shiny key under the mat.”
