MIAMI, FLORIDA – APRIL 24: President Pat Riley of the Miami Heat looks on during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bulls at American Airlines Arena on April 24, 2021 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. ( (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Miami Heat President Pat Riley was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for being too clear that he'd eagerly welcome a reunion with LeBron James.
The league said Riley violated its anti-tampering rule with his remarks during an interview Friday on Dan Le Batard's radio show.
Riley said he would “leave the key under the doormat” if James called and said he wanted to return to Miami. James led the Heat to two NBA titles and four straight appearances in the finals before returning to Cleveland in 2014.
Riley is the second executive to be fined in three days for tampering. The NBA penalized Philadelphia's Daryl Morey and the team $75,000 apiece on Monday for a tweet about Stephen Curry.
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