Given his experience and position as president of the Miami Heat, it is safe to assume that Pat Riley makes the major roster decisions. It turns out, however, that this is not the case, and Riley does not have the final say on any roster moves.
Heat President Pat Riley Does Not Exclusively Decide the Team’s Roster Moves
As an executive, Riley has developed a reputation for taking high-risk roster moves in pursuit of a championship. That reputation has once again come into focus as the Heat emerge as one of the few organizations that have a realistic shot at trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, it seems the Heat’s current front-office setup does not afford him much power.
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the front office leans toward council-style decision-making. At the end of the day, though, there is still someone in the organization who gets to make the decisions, and it isn’t Riley.
“The Heat, for the past few years, have been making personnel decisions collectively among a group,” Jackson wrote.
That group includes team owner Mickey Arison, CEO Nick Arison, general manager Andy Elisburg, assistant GM and vice president Adam Simon, head coach Erik Spoelstra, and Riley. Additionally, Heat legend Alonzo Mourning is also a part of this group.
Jackson also added that the Arisons, especially Nick, get final say owing to their status as team owners.
This council of leaders, it would seem, is all in on acquiring Antetokounmpo. According to rumors, they are willing to offer the Milwaukee Bucks a trove of valuable assets, including All-Star Tyler Herro and 2024 15th overall pick Kel’el Ware, among others.
It seems the Heat are also trying to match at least what the Golden State Warriors can offer to the Milwaukee Bucks in terms of draft picks. They are reportedly also offering their two first-round picks (2030, 2032), as well as multiple first-round pick swaps (2026,2029, 2031).
To sweeten the deal, the Miami front office is reportedly also looking to trade Andrew Wiggins for an extra pick to send to the Bucks.
Miami Heat’s potential offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo:
Tyler Herro
Kel’el Ware
Terry Rozier
Young player(s)
2026 first-round pick swap,
2029 first-round pick swap
2030 first-round pick
2031 first-round pick swap
2032 first-round pickThey could also add another pick by… pic.twitter.com/pKStuzv65z
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 2, 2026
Antetokounmpo could propel the Heat right back into championship contention. His acquisition could also attract other talent to play in Miami, solidifying their depth. At the moment, though, the Warriors’ trade package is considered to be stronger.
Miami currently stands 27-24 and holds the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference heading into Tuesday’s home game against the Atlanta Hawks at 7:30 p.m. ET.
