Gilbert Arenas has a stunning demand for Miami Heat president Pat Riley.
Arenas uploaded an episode of his Gil's Arena podcast on Saturday. One of the topics he and the panel discussed revolved around the Heat's struggles, which saw Kenyon Martin ask Arenas about whether Riley should fire head coach Erik Spoelstra.
“So does Pat Riley fire his boy Erik Spoelstra?” Martin asked at the 9:20 mark.
“No, he got to fire himself. No one’s complaining about Spo, but it’s still like you’re overseeing Spo still. He’s the Godfather,” Arenas answered.
What's next for Pat Riley, Heat
Miami Heat president Pat Riley addresses the crowd during the Pat Riley Court dedication ceremony at halftime at Kaseya Center.
Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Quite a strong demand for Gilbert Arenas to make towards Pat Riley, given the Miami Heat's decline throughout the second half of the 2024-25 season.
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Riley has done a lot for the franchise as a former head coach and current team president, bringing home three championships throughout his tenure. However, after 30 years, it seems the organization may need a new direction that could involve Riley stepping down from his position in the near future.
Their struggles have been more apparent since moving on from Jimmy Butler by sending him to the Golden State Warriors. They are 4-17 since the trade, which has seen them fall in the standings as they try to compete for a playoff spot.
It also doesn't help matters that they are on a 10-game losing streak. In that stretch, they are averaging 101.4 points on 45.7% shooting from the field and 33.8% from beyond the arc. However, they are giving up 111.8 points on defense, meaning they are losing games by a margin of 10.4 points per game.
Miami currently has a 29-41 record this season, holding the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They are 1.5 games behind the Chicago Bulls and 3.5 games behind the Orlando Magic.
The Heat will hope to end the losing streak in their next matchup. They host the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night at 6 p.m. ET.