It is a Miami Heat mantra that has been in place since Pat Riley’s arrival as franchise steward in 1995: “Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.”
Such was the plan by the Heat’s social-media wing on Tuesday, albeit unbeknownst by the team’s basketball side.
With the only problem being LeBron James still wasn’t ready when it came to his NBA free agency decision.
In preparation for staying ahead of the curve, the team’s social-media department took a just-in-case approach with a YouTube post that was not supposed to go live, one that read, “LeBron James Introductory Press Conference | July 27.”
The caption read, “press conference for LeBron James, welcoming him back as a member of the Miami Heat.”
The template that was utilized made it apparent something was off, with, above the aforementioned wording, a logo utilized for the “Dwyane Wade Stature Unveiling Ceremony” that took place on the steps of Kaseya Center on Oct. 27, 2024.
The errant post was then taken down, with the Heat making clear the post had no insight attached, but merely was a means of being ready for the potential eventuality.
Agent Rich Paul made clear on both Monday and Tuesday that he has no definitive timing for such an announcement, as the Heat and several other NBA teams await such a decision.
Prediction market Polymarket spiked the Heat’s chances of landing James for a return engagement to 55.5% after the errant post was discovered, before the number settled back to 43%.
Teams and media outlets typically prepared for all such eventualities.
As it is, Heat President Pat Riley, who routinely headlines such announcements, is traveling and not expected back in South Florida until August.
Riley has been at the introductions this offseason of Heat roster additions Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis and Tim Hardaway Jr.
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