Sports Radio Interviews

Pat Riley On The Future Of Wade, Beasley, And O’Neal

The Miami Heat are one young basketball team.  President Pat Riley’s job over the next season is to convince his superstar, Dwyane Wade, that he should re-sign with the team when he becomes a free agent in the summer of 2010.  Riley hints that he’ll offer Wade an extension when he’s allowed to this July, but will Flash want to sign up long-term to play with a supporting cast of Daequan Cook, Jermaine O’Neal, Mario Chalmers, Joel Anthony, and Jamaal Magloire?  I mean, I just listed two Canadians.  That can’t be good.  The player with the brightest future on the Heat roster is Michael Beasley.  Beasley grew up a lot this season, something people fail to notice, but it was only his rookie campaign.  Does Wade want to bank a whole lot of duckets on an undersized young fella?  I love Beasley but I wonder what is going through Wade’s mind right now.  Without Dwyane, this Miami team takes a major, major step back.  Riley joined 790 The Ticket to dicuss what he’ll do in regards to Wade this summer, whether or not he would trade Beasley, and if O’Neal can get back to his All-Star form next season.

On the future of Michael Beasley with the Heat:

“Michael is our future, however, we’re continuing to look to build this team, as quickly as we can.  And, I think in any situation with almost any player, probably with the exception of Dwyane Wade, if the right situation came along, we would do something.  But I have no plans, we are not shopping him, we’re looking to develop him and hope that he’s going to be a vital force for us for a long time.”

On expectations for Jermaine O’Neal this summer and next year:

“What we expect from Jermaine is that this summer, an all-out attack really on rehabbing his lower body and legs and to get his strength in his base back.  And, I think if he does that, then his skills are still very, very good and we expect to have, possibly, an All-Star center back next year for us.”

On contract extension talks with Dwyane Wade:

“Well, that’s not until the middle of July, after the moratorium, that’s I think around July 11th or 12th.  We have not had any discussions at all with his agent yet, but we have discussed it within the organization, Mickey and myself.  Obviously that is the number one priority for us, and once that time comes we will broach that with Dwyane and his agent.”

Listen to Pat Riley on 790 The Ticket in Miami with Jorge Sedano

Tags: Basketball, Dwyane Wade, Jermaine O'Neal, Miami Heat, Michael Beasley, NBA, Pat Riley