National Basketball Association

Pat Riley has 'great regrets' about Heat's efforts to keep Dwyane Wade

Published Jul. 16, 2016 4:41 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Miami Heat didn't want to budge and Dwyane Wade didn't appear to be feeling the love--not after years of taking less for the greater good of championships.

Such was the stalemate that found Wade going home to Chicago, and Pat Riley standing before media on Saturday morning explaining how he let it happen.

Speaking to reporters about Wade's departure for the first time, the Miami Heat's president saddled the lion's share of the fault on the franchise's failures to retain their superstar squarely on his back.

Per the Sun Sentinel's Ira Winderman:

"What happened with Dwyane floored me,", Riley said. "I'm not trying to fall on the sword for anybody. I have great regret that I didn't immerse myself in the middle of it...Dwyane left and the buck really stops here."

Riley says he hasn't spoken to Wade yet, but is drafting a message for him.

"I haven't spoken to Dwyane yet," Riley said. "I've been crafting a very long email to him. I'm going to send it when it's finished."

"I'm gonna miss what I might have had planned for him and his future and how I saw the end going for him."

Dan is on Twitter. D. Wade go home.