Report: Pat Riley eyeing 1 prominent free agent

Sep 22, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat president Pat Riley address reporters during a press conference at AmericanAirlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Throughout his many decades in the NBA, Pat Riley has coached everyone from Magic Johnson and John Starks to Tim Hardaway Sr. and Dwyane Wade. Now it appears there is another guard who is catching Riley’s eye.

During a recent appearance on the “Wine and Gold Talk Podcast,” Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer spoke on the Miami Heat president Riley’s apparent interest in Cleveland Cavaliers free agent guard Collin Sexton.

“I had kept hearing, ‘Pat Riley likes Collin Sexton. Pat Riley likes Sexton,’ from one person that I trust who knows things,” said Fischer.

The 23-year-old Sexton is currently in a staring contest with the Cavaliers, and it is starting to get a little ugly between the two sides. Sexton is a player who has plenty of value though. While he missed most of last season with a meniscus injury, Sexton averaged a Cavs team-high 24.3 points a game on strong 48/37/82 shooting splits two seasons ago.

The negatives on Sexton are that he is looking for a big payday and that his upside as a playmaker is limited. But the Heat have several above-average playmakers for their respective positions (e.g. Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro) as well as some assets to swing a potential sign-and-trade. It is also notable that Riley is reportedly interested in Sexton, a Klutch Sports client, given the prior history between Riley and Klutch.