The Miami Heat faithful find themselves in a very difficult position at this time.
As of Monday, June 30, free agents around the NBA were allowed to negotiate with other teams. However, no deals can officially take place until Sunday, July 6, at 12:00 p.m. ET. For Miami, they don't seem to be on track to make any moves yet.
Following the team being held hostage by Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, and the team's lackluster showing in the playoffs, team president Pat Riley made it clear that moves would be made. The seven-time NBA Champion as a coach/executive said that the Heat would not "run it back," and also addressed age concerns, saying he's feeling "competitive as hell."
While those two sentiments were nice to hear, the Heat have whiffed on virtually every offseason move possible.
They couldn't put together a good enough package for Kevin Durant, who was traded to the Houston Rockets, aren't in the mix for Jonathan Kuminga and also whiffed on Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who is expected to sign with the Atlanta Hawks.
With the number of misses growing, fans on social media are beginning to think that the 80-year-old Riley should be fired.
Miami Heat president Pat Riley.
Miami Heat president Pat Riley.
Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
"Genuinely fire Pat Riley," wrote one fan.
"It’s really sad it’s fire Pat Riley till it’s backwards," said another.
"How to be like Pat Riley in free agency Step 1 do nothing," voiced another.
"Pat Riley is washed," added another.
"Ight i need Pat Riley gone. Cheap upgrades we missing out on," chimed another.
"Pat Riley could have gone out in glory. Now he will be forever remembered as the man who didn’t win Jimmy a ring. Cost Bam his prime. And wasted many years without a direction," wrote another.
Dating back to the COVID year, the Heat made it to the NBA Finals twice, and the Eastern Conference Finals once. The other three years they were bounced out of the first round.
While there are still moves to be made, fans are losing patience.