The Miami Heat are currently setting their sights on the unofficial second half of the 2024-25 season after trading disgruntled star Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors at the deadline. The Heat are bringing back several role players, most notably Andrew Wiggins, who played a huge part in helping guide the Warriors to the 2022 NBA championship.
On Sunday evening, all eyes in the sports world will be on the Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, set to take place in New Orleans. The Chiefs are looking to win their third straight Super Bowl, commonly known in the sports world as a “three-peat.” As it turns out, the person who originally coined that phrase was Heat team president Pat Riley when he was the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s.
Last week, it was reported that Riley had struck a deal with the NFL allowing him to profit off of their use of the phrase if the Chiefs end up winning, per Air Meirov of The 33rd Team on X, and recently, head coach Erik Spoelstra alluded to that fact when asked who he wants to win the big game.
“You don't even have to finish that sentence. I want a big a** party,” said Riley, per Zachary Weinberger of ClutchPoints on X. “…I know he'll bring out the best wine and hopefully have a great organizational party on behalf of the great Pat Riley.”
Many Heat fans found some grim humor in the fact that Riley had struck a deal with the NFL before he struck a deal with any of his NBA counterparts for Jimmy Butler, but that ultimately came to pass on Wednesday evening when the multi-time All-Star was dealt to the Warriors.
At first glance, it wouldn't appear that the Heat's return package for Butler would be enough to propel them to contention anytime soon, but the team has to be relieved to finally be out of that nightmarish saga.
