MIAMI (CBSMiami.com) – When the 2010 NBA free agency period opened last summer, Miami Heat president Pat Riley decided to go all in for his quest to united Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh.

Everyone knows the story now, and the Heat is now on the cusp of the Eastern Conference finals in the first season of the Heat's Big Three. Now, Riley is being honored for his accomplishment.

Riley and Chicago Bulls general manager Gar Forman were chosen Tuesday as the co-recipients of the NBA Executive of the Year award. Both received 11 of a possible 30 votes from a panel of team executives.

Riley's vision has had bumps along the way, but the Heat did win 58 games and were the number 2 seed in the Eastern Conference behind Forman's Bulls.

Forman helped remake the Bulls lineup that brought them up from 41 wins to 62 wins in the regular season and a place in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Now, if both Chicago and Miami make it to the Eastern Conference finals, it will match Riley's Big Three with Forman's squad from Chicago.

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