National Basketball Association

Did Pat Riley Just Admit The Heat Are Trading Goran Dragic?

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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NBA Rumors: In an interview with NBA.com, Pat Riley all but admitted that the Miami Heat will, or are trying to, trade Goran Dragic

The Miami Heat have gotten off to a rough start. Considering their fairly difficult schedule to open the season, that was expected.

What wasn’t, though, was how lost they look as a team. Justise Winslow hasn’t made the jump that many expected he would make, Hassan Whiteside has been up and down and Goran Dragic just got hurt.

The Heat should actually feel lucky they have two wins. Sooner, rather than later, Miami Heat President Pat Riley is going to have to decide whether or not to move forward with this team. If that answer is no, expect trades.

Interestingly enough, he might’ve tipped his hand.

In an interview with NBA.com, Riley covered a myriad of topics. He had one interesting comment, though, that will likely make a few headlines.

When asked about the team’s current rebuilding process, Riley notes that while the team has a few nice potential core pieces in Whiteside, Winslow, Tyler Johnson and Josh Richardson, he’s trying to trade for another draft pick.

[via NBA.com]

Pat Riley: Well, right now, it’s talent. It’s not the same level of talent that we saw in Dwyane or Caron Butler, what we saw in Alonzo Mourning when we traded for ‘Zo. It’s the raw talent that we can find. So talent is still, always and will forever be at the top of the list. So we feel that with Hassan, and with Justise and Tyler (Johnson) and Josh (Richardson), and some of the new guys who we got this summer, four or five of those young guys can create a nucleus. We have a pick this year. I have intentions, if it’s possible, to try and get another pick. And then we will have room. And so from that standpoint, you start making a plan and formulating what it looks like down the road, but you’re going to have to get some breakthroughs — from Hassan, from Justise, from Tyler, from Josh. And then you’ll see where you go from there..

Perhaps even more interestingly, when acknowledging the future of the Heat, notice that he didn’t mention Goran Dragic. In fairness, that could’ve just been an innocent omission from Riley. Though, this is Riley we’re talking about. Let’s not be naive.

Connecting the dots, it’s pretty clear that Riley is trying – or will try at some point this season – to move Dragic for a first-round pick.

At the state of the team, that’s probably the best course of action. Question is, is there another NBA team out there that is willing to send a first-round pick in exchange for Dragic? We’re about to find out, it appears.