IN THE LANE

HARD TIMES: This offseason’s free agency served as the perfect example of the hoops the Heat front office jumped through in the 2 0 1 9 offseason to offload last season’s $2 7 million salary of Hassan Whiteside. With Whiteside able to land no more than a deal for the $2 .3 million veteran’s minimum with the Sacramento Kings, it showed exactly where the former Heat center stands in the eyes of league executives. Consider that in the past week, Robin Lopez received

$7 million for 2 0 2 0 -2 1 from the Washington Wizards, Mason Plumlee a three-year, $2 5 million contract from the Detroit Pistons, and Jacob Poetl a three-year, $2 7 million deal from the San Antonio Spurs. The cost of unloading Whiteside in order to clear

2019 cap space for Jimmy Butler was a 2 0 2 3 first-round pick. Now it becomes clear why such a sweetener stood as necessary. KEEPING UP WITH JONES: With the New York Times chronicling the opening hours of Derrick Jones Jr.’s free agency, it became apparent that the Heat’s invitation of a return on a one-year deal was not going to make the final cut for the versatile forward. Instead it came down to the Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers, especially after the Charlotte Hornets concentrated their focus on Gordon Hayward. The Blazers emerged as the choice, with Jones receiving a two-year, $2 0 million deal at the full mid-level exception, with the second year at his option. Unlike with the Heat and their loaded wing rotation, Jones said he saw a clear opportunity with Portland at small forward. “At the three position they need me to come in here and do exactly what I do,” he said during his welcome interview session,“which is get out, run the floor, get shots if they open, play great defense.”

THE GOOD FIGHT: Now back in the gym after limping to the end of the NBA Finals, Goran Dragic said there are no regrets about pushing through Game 6 against the Los Angeles Lakers essentially on one foot, after tearing a plantar fascia earlier in the series. “I wanted to be out there,” he said of the Oct. 1 1 loss that ended the Heat’s season.“I wanted to be out there. Of course, I was not 1 0 0 percent. I was not even close. But I was talking to Spo [coach Erik Spoelstra], and he told me it doesn’t matter how many minutes you can give me, just try, and I begged him to. So I think it was the right decision. I didn’t want to have regrets after a few years and ask myself, ‘What would happen if I tried?’ At least I accepted what was done and now we move on.” THE LONG ROAD: Sometimes the smallest of free-agency signings are the most gratifying. Such is the case with forward Greg Whittington getting a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets. If the name sounds familiar it is because Whittington, the undrafted forward out of Georgetown, had a solid 2 0 1 5 summer league and training camp with the Heat before moving on to the team’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, and winning the 2016 championship there under Dan Craig. In the interim, Whittington has played in Australia, Japan, Israel and Turkey.“It was a tough decision this year, leaving that money on the table and not going back [overseas], but I decided it was time to bet on myself and trust that my talent would get me this opportunity,” Whittington, 2 7, told the Baltimore Sun.“I honestly don’t even know how to feel right now, just so many emotions. But I feel like tough people prevail.”

NUMBER

43 ½ Over-under line for Heat

2 0 2 0 -2 1 win total by BetOnLine for the NBA’s 7 2 -game regular season, a win total that would translate to 4 9

½ for a typical 8 2 -game season. The Heat went 4 4 -2 9 during last season’s truncated schedule. The Heat have not won more than 4 9 games since going

54-28 in2013-14.