A look at Pat Riley's performance as the final voice on personnel decisions in the Heat front office:

5 BEST TRADES

1. Nov. 3, 1995: Acquired C Alonzo Mourning, G Pete Myers and F LeRon Ellis from Charlotte for F Glen Rice, G Khalid Reeves, C Matt Geiger and a future first-round draft choice.

Comment: The Hornets weren't willing to meet Mourning's eventual free-agent asking price; Riley was. The cornerstone of the Heat's revival was in place.

2. Feb. 22, 1996: Acquired G Tim Hardaway and F Chris Gatling from Golden State for G Bimbo Coles and C Kevin Willis.

Comment: Riley privately worried about Hardaway's fading reputation but salvaged a playoff berth with the midseason move. The deal proved to be a lopsided success.

3. Feb. 14, 1997: Acquired F Jamal Mashburn from Dallas for F Kurt Thomas, F Martin Muursepp and G Sasha Danilovic.

Comment: Mashburn rounded out what would prove to be a 61-victory team.

4. Aug. 30, 2000: Acquired F Brian Grant in three-way trade from Portland for F Chris Gatling, F Clarence Weatherspoon, G Gary Grant and future first-round draft choice.

Comment: The Heat gave up relatively little for such a respected presence. Yes, the $86 million contract was steep, but if the Heat didn't offer it, New York, Cleveland and Portland were willing.

5. Sept 1, 1995: Acquired rights to coach Pat Riley from New York for future first-round draft choice and $1 million.

Comment: You call it tampering, we'll call it Walter McCarty and $1 million for long-awaited respect.

5 WORST TRADES

1. Feb. 19, 1998: Traded C Isaac Austin, G Charles Smith and future first-round draft choice to L.A. Clippers for G Brent Barry.

Comment: Barry was the wrong fit, appearing in 17 games with the franchise. Austin at least could have helped salvage the playoffs, even if his free-agent asking price made him impossible to retain. In the process, yet another first-round draft choice was discarded.

2. June 26, 1996: Acquired draft rights to F Martin Muursepp from Utah for future first-round draft choice.

Comment: Heat soon would learn that Muursepp in Estonian translated into "can't play." Utah got DeShawn Stevenson out of the deal.

3. Aug. 12, 1997: Acquired C Duane Causwell from Sacramento for G Gary Grant, F Matt Fish and future second-round draft choice.

Comment: It's not what the Heat gave up, it's that it then had to convince itself for four seasons that Causwell was a viable backup.

4. Aug. 2, 2000: Acquired G Eddie Jones, F Anthony Mason, G Ricky Davis and G Dale Ellis from Charlotte for F Jamal Mashburn, F P.J. Brown, F Tim James, G Rodney Buford and C Otis Thorpe.

Comment: Two factors are in play here. Foremost, the Heat essentially gave up two quality starters and wound up with only one once Mason was allowed to depart to Milwaukee as a free agent. Secondly, Jones has proved an ill fit in the Riley system, not allowed to gamble for steals on defense, forced to remain on the perimeter on offense in deference to the post game.

5. Oct. 26, 2001: Acquired F Chris Gatling in three-way trade from Cleveland for F Ricky Davis and F Don MacLean.

Comment: Gatling has proven to be a struggling 34-year-old, while the 22-year-old Davis at least could have added life to the second half of this season.

5 BEST SIGNINGS

1. July 18, 1996: Signed F P.J. Brown.

Comment: Brown proved the perfect defensive complement to Alonzo Mourning, anchoring an imposing interior defense, and emerged as a valued trade commodity.

2. Aug. 22, 1996: Signed F Dan Majerle.

Comment: The thunder was gone once he arrived, but not the aggressive defense or timely outside shooting.

3. Feb. 23, 2000: Signed F Bruce Bowen.

Comment: After two failed tryouts with the Heat, an All-Defensive reputation was established.

4. Dec. 29, 1995: Signed G Voshon Lenard.

Comment: From the depths of the CBA, the Heat received five seasons of quality outside shooting.

5. Oct. 3, 1996: Signed C Isaac Austin.

Comment: Salary-cap limitations prevented a lengthy marriage, but he proved to be the perfect tonic for Alonzo Mourning's injuries.

5 WORST SIGNINGS

1. Aug. 4, 1999: Signed C Otis Thorpe.

Comment: An absolute waste of the $2 million exception on a player seemingly only interested in cashing checks.

2. Aug. 20, 1997: Signed F Terry Mills.

Comment: Arrived injured and out of shape; departed injured and out of shape. Somehow, Riley saw him as a pivot presence.

3. Sept. 17, 1997: Signed F Todd Day.

Comment: It took only five appearances for friction with Riley to lead to his dismissal.

4. Sept. 13: Signed F Don MacLean.

Comment: Came at a low cost; displayed little interest.

5. Sept. 13: Signed C Todd Fuller.

Comment: Actually made Duane Causwell look good.

5 BEST MONEY MOVES

1. July 23, 1996: Signed G Tim Hardaway to four-year, incentive-laden $21 million contract.

Comment: Sure, Hardaway complained about the bonus for a difficult assist-to-turnover ratio, but it also resulted in Hardaway playing under control for four seasons.

2. July 18, 1996: Signed F P.J. Brown to seven-year, $36 million contract.

Comment: As the contract winds down, Brown is seen as such a bargain that Charlotte is interested in an extension.

3. Aug. 1, 2000: Signed G Anthony Carter to one-year, $1.2 million contract.

Comment: A year ago, the price was right, with Carter talked into the low figure in exchange for future riches.

4. Aug. 1, 2000: Signed F Bruce Bowen to one-year, $733,000 contract.

Comment: Another case of extracting loyalty from a player given a chance to revive his career.

5. Jan. 22, 1999: Signed G Terry Porter to two-year, $2.1 million contract.

Comment: Perhaps the Heat's best use of a salary-cap exception. Trouble was, Porter was allowed to opt out of the second season.

5 WORST MONEY MOVES

1. Oct. 25, 2001: F Anthony Mason allowed to sign with Milwaukee without compensation.

Comment: For what the Heat is paying LaPhonso Ellis and Anthony Carter over the next three seasons, it may have been better advised to work out something in return for Mason.

2. Aug 22, 2001: G Tim Hardaway allowed to depart to Dallas in sign-and-trade transaction, with only a second-round draft choice as compensation.

Comment: With a little less acrimony, perhaps there would be more than Rod Strickland in this backcourt.

3. July 31, 2001: F Bruce Bowen allowed to sign with San Antonio without compensation.

Comment: Bowen's defense was lost in hopes of greater shooting through free agency. Now there is little defense and no shooting.

4. July 19, 2001: G Anthony Carter re-signed as free agent to three-year, $11 million contract.

Comment: Last summer, he was a bargain. Now, he's an albatross.

5. July 9, 1997: G Voshon Lenard re-signed as free agent to five-year, $16.5 million contract.

Comment: The Heat worked long and hard to unload this deal. Now Denver is looking to do the same.

3 BEST DRAFT MOVES

1. June 28, 2000: Selected G Eddie House at No. 37 in second round.

Comment: Say what you want about the erratic play, but for a second-round draft choice there is an upside.

2. June 30, 1999: Selected G Rodney Buford at No. 53 in the second round.

Comment: Credit the staff for finding someone so late in the draft who has established NBA staying power.

3. June 2, 1999: Brought in F Lamar Odom for last-minute tryout; discussed trade with Vancouver.

Comment: The Heat was active at the 11th hour, offering P.J. Brown in a deal for a player who has emerged as a rising star.

3 WORST DRAFT MOVES

1. June 30, 1999: Selected F Tim James at No. 25 in the first round.

Comment: F Jumaine Jones, C Calvin Booth and C Todd MacCulloch were among those the Heat bypassed.

2. June 25, 1997: Selected G Charles Smith at No. 26 in first round.

Comment: G Alvin Williams, C Marc Jackson, G Jacque Vaughn among those the Heat bypassed.

3. Every year: Indifference toward draft.

Comment: This is the bigger story, how such little priority has been placed on the draft. Now, in a rebuilding mode, the franchise is paying the long-term price.

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Miami Heat

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