Pfund, Riley said, was one of three people who "got me in a room and made sure that Mr. Beasley was going to be part of the Miami Heat."

It wasn't clear how much time Pfund had remaining on his contract. He received an extension from the team last year, but the terms were never publicly disclosed.

Pfund began coaching at a high school in Illinois in the mid-1970s, then went to Westmont College in Santa Barbara, Calif., where he worked for Chet Kammerer, who currently serves as the Heat's vice president of player personnel. Eventually, Pfund was hired as an assistant coach on Riley's staff with the Los Angeles Lakers, and after Riley left the West coast, Pfund took over as head coach for parts of two seasons in the early 1990s.

When Riley came to the Heat, he hired Pfund again. Pfund, in turn, then brought Kammerer — who was also a Lakers assistant under Pfund — to the Heat as a scout, and the foundation for the team's front office and personnel moves remained largely unchanged since.

"On behalf of the Arison family and my family, I would like to wish him continued success and happiness in everything he does," Riley said.