MIAMI — Miami Heat President Pat Riley held his annual postseason media session Monday at Kaseya Center.

Among the topics he touched on:

— He refuted recent reports concerning his status in the front office.

— “I’m not going to retire; I’m not going to resign; I’m not going to step aside,” he said. “When I came here almost 31 years ago, I had the same attitude that I had in that press conference on the Imagination,” he said referring to the cruise-ship moment in 1995 upon his Heat introduction.  “I want another parade down Biscayne Boulevard.”

— Of why he still does it, Riley said: “I love competition. I love this franchise.”

— But, at 81, he recognizes a potential end game, “Don’t think it won’t happen. It will happen. I’m aging up.”

— He spoke of his role under owner Micky Arison and CEO Nick Arison, “I don’t have final say here. I never had it. I never had it when I came.”

— He added, “And quite frankly, I don’t think I want it.”

— Of the team’s struggles in recent seasons, Riley said: “I’m really pissed, I’m disappointed, disgruntled, just like everybody else in the organization, understands what we’re about. We’re about winning.”

— Still, vowing postseason any way possible, “If we are competing for the last spot in the play-in, we will fight to the very last breath.”

— He added, “I’m not going to apologize for being a play-in team.”

— “I’m not going to change. I’m not going to try to lose. I’m not going to tank,” he added.

— Of why not move at the trade deadline, “I’m not thinking of trading anybody for an asset.”

— He also said while he did not consider the Heat a championship contender at the time, he thought a run to the NBA Finals was possible.

— But there also was a concession to the times, “We’re not good enough. We’re not happy with it.”

— As for seeing the need for an offseason impact move, “I think we feel a need, that we should make the best move that we can.”

— On that subject, he said, “We’re going to try to hard to aggressively pursue opportunities.”

— Adding, “But I’m not going to make a stupid move that’s going to saddle us for years to come.”

— As for potentially tanking, “I’m not going to change. I’m not going to tank. I can’t stand the word.”

— He said there also is an eye toward cap space in the 2027 offseason, which could mean continued restraint.

— Of the January 2024 Terry Rozier trade,  Riley said, “We traded for a player that we felt, at that time, was a real upgrade to the roster.”

— Of settling for a second-round pick as compensation for not being informed by the Hornets of the Rozier probe, Riley said, “We didn’t negotiate that deal. The NBA did.”

— He added, “That was not a very good situation. There’s no doubt.”

— Of extending Nikola Jovic last summer, Riley said he had Jovic on his lineup board at the time as a starter.

— As for development, he said of coach Erik Spoelstra, “Now it’s really hyper-development. Spo and his staff does a great job with all these guys.”

— He said a goal remains to find greater support for center Bam Adebayo, “He knows that Micky, Nick, myself, everybody that makes decisions in basketball operations are going to try to help him. Somebody who is different.”

— He added, “I hope we can help Bam. He deserves the help. He deserves to win more.”

— Of finding a big man to play alongside Adebayo, amid the team’s uneven usage of Kel’el Ware, he mentions of creating value (Ware trade?). “As far as Kel’el and Bam, I like it. You’ve got to be committed to it.”

— He added, “You simply have to stay with it when young players are not performing at their highest.”

— Riley said he would not trade Adebayo. Says Hawks (Trae Yung), Pacers (Domantas Sabonis), Raptors (Pascal Siakam) moves do not equate to Adebayo.

— He added, “I want to build this around Bam.”

— Riley said he still could see a prime free agent being added, but jokes that he regrets putting the word “whale” out there.

— Of extension windows for players this offseason, he said, “We have to show a level of discipline in extending guys out.”

— He said he appreciates Tyler Herro going forward with a preemptive foot procedure later this week.

— Riley said when assessing a player “games played” is the first thing he looks at.

— Of Norman Powell and Andrew Wiggins being able to move into free agency, Riley said both have been told they would be welcomed back, with indications both want to be back.

— Of the Heat’s assets at the moment, Riley said, “I think we’re flexibility flush.”