IN THE LANE

WAITING GAME: In the end, Goran Dragic has turned into nothing more than 35-year-old salary-cap ballast for the Toronto Raptors, the cost of acquiring Precious

Achiuwa in the sign-and-trade with the Heat for Kyle Lowry. With Dragic held out of five consecutive games heading into the weekend, it is the first time he has been such an extended scratch due to coach’s decision since playing as a Phoenix Suns rookie behind Steve Nash in 2008-09. For now, the Raptors are going with the youth of Malachi

Flynn and Dalano Blanton. The thought is that if Dragic is not dealt by the Feb. 10 NBA trading deadline, he will be bought out by that March 1 deadline. The only way Dragic could return to the Heat this season would be to first be traded to another team and then be bought out. The Raptors went into the weekend 1-3 with Dragic in the rotation, 5-0 with him not playing. BACK HOME: To a degree,

Andre Iguodala’s late-career arc is similar to that of Dwyane

Wade’s, a longtime presence on a championship team who took a two-team detour before returning for a final chapter. For Wade, it meant stops with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers before a Heat sendoff; for Iguodala, it was the Memphis Grizzlies (for whom he never suited up) and the Heat. Now back with the Golden State Warriors, Iguodala, 37, is savoring the moment.“The NBA salary cap won’t allow me to play too much longer, but I’m going to enjoy it,” Iguodala told NBA.com.“Whether it’s one year or seven years left,

I’m going to have some fun.” Said Warriors coach Steve Kerr,“It’s like we lost our soul a little bit the last two years.” Of his 1 ½ -season Heat tenure, Iguodala said,“Everything is more of a controlled setting. . . . It’s very controlled there, but it’s good for you. . . . For me, I became a much better leader with seeing that side of things.”

SMALL WORLD: Thursday’s Heat loss to the Celtics was to a degree a Portland reunion, with Spoelstra and Boston coach Ime Udoka both former Portland prep standouts and both having played collegiately in Portland. Added to the mix was a Udoka staff that largely is made up of Portland products, including Portland native and ex-Trail Blazers guard Damon Stoudemire.“I grew up in Portland and watched Spo and Damon Stoudamire playing in pro-ams,” Udoka said,“and I got to know him better in my years in coaching.” Said Spoelstra of the Celtics staff,“It’s a prerequisite, you have to be from Portland. These are all the guys that I knew. I think they have a really talented staff and Ime’s a great leader.”

FOND MEMORIES: Now writing regularly for Basketball Nets, former Heat forward James Posey in his most recent piece reflected on his run to the 2006 title with the Heat and how three players from that team made the NBA’s 75th-anniversary team.“Winning at the highest level, for me, started in Miami. There, I had the honor of playing with Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade and Gary Payton,” wrote Posey, now an assistant coach with the University of Virginia’s women’s program.“And now, I can proudly say I can look back on my time in Miami and know that I played with three of the greatest ever. I’m better for it.” NUMBER

3. Times the Heat play the Nets after the Jan. 1 mayoral change in New York, which could change the city’s vaccination requirements in regard to Brooklyn guard Kyrie

Irving. The Heat host the Nets on Feb. 12 and March 26, and play at Brooklyn on March 3. The Heat defeated the Irving-less Nets 10693 on Oct. 27 at Barclays Center.