However, in order to pay leftover debts in Minnesota, Shields sold Rookie of the Year Mel Daniels to the Indiana Pacers, a deal now reckoned as the most lopsided trade in ABA history.

[1] Coached by former Minneapolis Lakers great Jim Pollard, the 1968–69 season was the most successful for the Miami Floridians by far, finishing their first season in Florida with a 43–35 record and defeating the defending champion Minnesota Pipers (who played in the city the Floridians had just abandoned) in the Eastern Division semifinals 4 games to 3, before losing in the divisional finals to the Indiana Pacers 4 games to 1.

It had no air conditioning and would often get quite hot inside, forcing management to throw open the doors; players would then have to adjust their shots by the ocean breezes that whistled onto the court.

The Floridians dismissed Pollard during the season and named Hal Blitman of Cheyney State College as their head coach.

[1] In an unprecedented move, Doyle "fired" the entire team (all players were either traded or released prior to the start of their new season) and kept the coach.

[1] The Floridians' dreadful attendance for their two home playoff games against the Squires convinced Doyle that the team could not be viable in South Florida.

After a deal to relocate to Cincinnati fell through and attempts to find a bigger market in Albuquerque, San Diego, and Omaha turned up nil for different reasons, he disbanded the franchise in what was considered to be a tax write-off in June 1972.