There are a lot of ties connecting the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat as they head into an NBA Finals matchup absolutely bursting with storylines. LeBron James vs. his former team. The Lakers vs. Jimmy Butler, the player they considered in free agency, but a partnership neither side ultimately opted to consummate.
What struck me recently though, among those connections, was the one between the Lakers and Pat Riley, the legendary coach of the Showtime-era purple and gold who now serves as the Team President of the Heat.