Miami Heat president Pat Riley was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for violating the league’s anti-tampering rule.
Riley was fined for comments made during a June 4 radio interview regarding Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James who played for the Heat from 2010-14 before returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“I would leave the key under the doormat if he would call me and let me know that he’s coming,” Riley said. “I would do that, but I doubt very much that key…That key is rusted now.
“LeBron, look, he’s one of the greatest of all time, and for four years down here, if we want to go back and remember what those four years were like, it was four years in the Finals, four years of excitement, two world championships…It was the best time for the Heat. So I wish him nothing but the best, and if he ever wanted to come back, I’ll put a new shiny key under the mat.”
James, 36, is under contract with the Lakers for the next two seasons.