Miami Heat: Pat Riley and 10 Other Coaches Who Could Fix the Mess

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MIAMI GARDENS, FL - FEBRUARY 07: Miami Heat Team President Pat Riley watches on the sideline prior to the start of Super Bowl XLIV between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints on February 7, 2010 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida

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All the hype, all the bling hasn't amounted to a thing yet for the Miami Heat.

Miami lost to the Indiana Pacers 93-77 on Monday and now has an 8-6 record. It's still early in the season, but do you honestly believe that a team with Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh should be hovering just above .500?

There's still plenty of time to fix this mess, and it has to begin with replacing coach Erik Spoelstra, who clearly isn't the right fit for this pressure-packed position.

Obviously, Pat Riley would appear to be the most likely replacement, but is he the best fit? Or is there someone even better who could point this team in the right direction?

Anything less than an NBA title will be a massive disappointment. Besides Riley, here are 10 other names who could still give Miami a chance.

11. Del Harris

ATHENS - AUGUST 26: Head coach Del Harris of China reacts to a call in the first half of the men's basketball quarterfinal game against Lithuania on August 26, 2004 during the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games at the Indoor Hall of the Olympic Sports Com

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Harris is now in retirement, and most recently served as an assistant for former Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro. He's been a coach for 50 years, and entered the NBA as an assistant for the Rockets in 1976.

He took Houston to the NBA Finals in 1981, and was named Coach of the Year in 1995 while with the Los Angeles Lakers.

10. Brian Shaw

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 29: Assistant coach Brian Shaw of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts while taking on the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals during the 2008 NBA Playoffs on May 29, 2008 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif

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It's just a matter of time before the Lakers assistant coach actually gets a head coaching job, and you'd think he could likely be groomed to take over once Phil Jackson retires.

Think about it, though. Would Shaw be any worse than Spoelstra?

9. Don Nelson

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 7: Head coach Don Nelson of Golden State Warriors in the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves during a basketball game at Target Center on April 7, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledge

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His teams have never been big on defense, but heck, you know he'd definitely at least tap into the talent and make that offense really click.

8. Isiah Thomas

MIAMI - APRIL 15: Isiah Thomas talks to the media after he was introduced as the new head coach for Florida International Univeristy men's basketball team at U.S.Century Bank Arena on April 15, 2009 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)

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He's said over and over that he wants to get back into the league and coach again. Right now, though, he's the men's basketball coach at Florida International University.

Which is in Miami.

Let's see what he can do.

7. Rudy Tomjanovich

CHICAGO - MARCH 10: Former Head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers and current scout Rudy Tonjanovich, scouts the game between the Penn State Nittnay Lions and the Ohio State Buckeyes on the first day of the Big Ten Men's Conference Basketball Tournament Ma

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Anyone else miss Rudy T.?

Tomjanovich led the Houston Rockets to two NBA titles in his 12 seasons, and has worked as an analyst and scout for the Los Angeles Lakers since 2005. He also has survived a battle with bladder cancer.

The man can coach, and you've got to like his chances with Miami's Big Three.

6. Mike Krzyzewski

KANSAS CITY, MO - NOVEMBER 22: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils coaches from the bench during the CBE Classic game against the Marquette Golden Eagles on November 22, 2010 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie

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He's been quite adamant that he has no desire to move to the NBA.

But Krzyzewski did coach the Big Three in the 2008 Summer Olympics. The respect is there, and so is the familiarity. This could work.

5. Jeff Van Gundy

HOUSTON - APRIL 21: Coach Jeff Van Gundy of the Houston Rockets on the sidelines as his teams plays the Utah Jazz in Game One of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2007 NBA Playoffs at the Toyota Center April 21, 2007 in Houston, Texas. NOTE

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Life is easy as an NBA analyst, but Van Gundy would be crazy not to jump at the chance to come back and coach in Miami.

Would he be successful? Probably. If you watched his teams in New York and Houston, you know that he would at least get a lot more effort out of this Heat team than what they've shown so far.

4. Bill Laimbeer

AUBURN HILLS, MI - SEPTEMBER 05: Bill Laimbeer head coach of the Detroit Shock points out something to his players during Game One of the WNBA Finals against the Phoenix Mercury at the Palace of Auburn Hills on September 5, 2007 in Auburn Hills, Michigan

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Yes, that Bill Laimbeer. The same former Pistons player that everyone loved to hate.

Laimbeer would be the ultimate curveball move for Pat Riley to make. He's led the Detroit Shock to three WNBA titles, and still remains as abrasive as ever, calling one of his players a "crackhead." He later tried to play it off and said he was joking.

Laimbeer would either be a brilliant fit, or he'll end up being so disliked players will want to punch him.

3. Jerry Sloan

MIAMI - NOVEMBER 09: Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan yells during a game against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena on November 9, 2010 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this

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He's with the Utah Jazz, and remains one of the NBA's all-time best coaches. It's a crime that he hasn't won a title yet.

2. Pat Riley

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 28: Head coach Pat Riley of the Miami Heat gestures during the game with the Los Angeles Lakers on February 28, 2008 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers won 106-88. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledge

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He is a coaching legend, and has handled megastars before back in the 1980s with the Showtime Lakers. This situation wouldn't even make him blink.

1. Larry Bird

DETROIT - APRIL 06: Larry Bird walks off the court after watching the Michigan State Spartans lose to the North Carolina Tar Heels during the 2009 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship game at Ford Field on April 6, 2009 in Detroit, Mich

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Everything would change immediately.

It almost makes too much sense. Bird did a great job as the Pacers head coach, and you know he'd gain immediate respect in Miami. And you have to wonder if the Big Three would play better simply because they wouldn't want to disappoint him.

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