Pat Riley says the Heat started planning the Big 3 in 2006: 'It's not a coincidence they were all represented by CAA'

In 2010, the Miami Heat formed the ultimate super-team when they added LeBron James and Chris Bosh to a squad with Dwyane Wade. The team went on to make four straight NBA Finals appearances and won back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013.

Everyone knows that James, Wade, Bosh (and Carmelo Anthony) discussed the possibility of teaming up as early as 2004 when they played together in the Athens Olympics. However, during his recent appearance on "The OGs Show," Heat president Pat Riley admitted that the Heat were also monitoring the trio as early as when they won the first championship in franchise history.

"In 2006, the year when we won the title, was the year that LeBron and Dwyane and Chris Bosh all signed their extensions," said Riley. "It's not a coincidence they were all represented by CAA, so they all signed, and then we took the contracts, we took a look at the contracts with the options and all the stuff, and we saw that each of them would be free agents in 2010. "

Pat instructed Andy to plan ahead

CAA is Creative Artists Agency, a Los Angeles-based company founded by Michael Ovitz in 1975. When Wade and Bosh were drafted in 2003, they signed with CAA's Henry Thomas. Meanwhile, James became part of CAA when the company acquired his then-agent Leon Rose's business.

It's unclear what part CAA or its agents played in synchronizing the three players' contracts, but what's certain is that once Miami got hold of this crucial info, Riley immediately asked his trusted deputy, current Heat GM Andy Elisburg, to monitor the three and plan as if they were going to sign all of them once their contracts were next due.

"So I said, 'Andy, okay, we got this three, four years from now. I said unless we trade for one of them, I think one day we might have the opportunity to have to sit at the table with LeBron, with Chris and Dwyane or all three of them, and so from that day on, Andy went to work, making sure that we would have the cap space in 2010 to sign all three of them," he added.

Gil talked about UD's value

And so 2010 came, and the Heat executed their game plan to perfection. It was challenging, though. Miami needed other players to make the numbers work. Former All-Star Gilbert Arenas talked about how Udonis Haslem played a key role in Riley's master plan.

"Them two championships that LeBron got there, you have to credit him for it because he's the one who took the pay cut to make it happen," Arenas said. "People don't realize he took the pay cut. Milwaukee offered him $33 million when LeBron was up, and they were trying to make the big decision... He turned it down and said, 'Sign him. Whatever's left over, I'll sign.'"

Haslem indeed turned down more significant offers to accept a $20 million deal from the Heat in 2010. But as UD said, the Big 3 also took pay cuts so the squad would have money to sign him, so it was a team effort. And yes, it helped that Haslem was also represented by CAA, and the same agent as D-Wade.