The Los Angeles Lakers unveiled Pat Riley's statue outside Crypto.com Arena, honoring the legend for his tenure with the "Showtime era" in Los Angeles. They won four championships, producing Hall of Famers such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and James Worthy.
And yet, the night ended with fans talking about the Miami Heat. It's understandable, as the Heat president ran into LeBron James, who won two championships in four Finals appearances together in Miami from 2010 to 2014. Any time James is mentioned with the Heat, fans call for a reunion between the NBA legend and the borderline Eastern Conference contenders.
The peak of James' legendary career is widely believed to be his time in Miami. He had his most championships and individual success in these four seasons, winning two MVPs and two Finals MVPs. James shifted his career trajectory in terms of Finals acclaim, adding a new fire to his arsenal with a more dominant approach to his character. The career development for James and his contributions to the team have fans begging for his return nearly every year.
The Heat have appeared in the Finals since his departure, but nowhere near the championship juggernaut they used to be. Miami's runs were largely due to Jimmy Butler's superhuman performances rather than a sustainable championship formula. The Heat have stayed afloat with their cast of undrafted products and star role players, but never enough to really establish themselves as true Eastern threats.
On the flip side, it's been relatively quiet for James in Los Angeles. During his time with the Lakers, he hasn't had as much success in the later years of his career. He continues his legend with great statistical seasons and climbs the all-time records charts, but his Lakers resume is thin. Outside of the 2020 championship run against Miami, which many knock because of the COVID-19 setting, Los Angeles has been quite lackluster in the postseason with James.
The Lakers missed the playoffs twice and went past the first round just once. They were anticipated to be the face of the conference last season after trading for Luka Doncic, but were gentleman swept in the opening round by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Still, neither of these factors is likely enough to get James to return to South Florida. Miami has missed out on nearly every superstar it was linked to over the past few years, and likely wouldn't want to bring in a legend on his last legs.
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