IN THE LANE
NO MORE JABS: Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has been known for taking (and receiving) jabs when it comes to the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James, but he paused to credit James for freedom of movement among NBA players. Green cited James’ shift to the Heat in the 2010 offseason for what has followed with players such as Kevin Durant and
Kyrie Irving. “LeBron made it OK,” Green said. “I think he opened up a new door for guys. He gave guys a voice and willing[ness] to use that voice. I wasn’t sure at the time he knew what he was doing. There was so much backlash and all of those things. It really opened up new doors for guys. Maybe he didn’t know what he was doing. I don’t know. He did something special for guys around the NBA — to take careers into your own hands and go where you feel you want to go.”
FROM AFAR: Although in Springfield, Mass., to accept his citizenship award at the Basketball Hall of Fame as Hurricane Irma was bearing down on Florida, and then returning to his offseason home in California, former Heat guard Dwyane Wade said his adopted South Florida home remained in his thoughts. “It’s hectic in the city,” Wade said of his Miami home for his first 13 NBA seasons. “But in moments like this, a lot of people come together. In today’s society, where we have a lot of divide, people come together. They need each other. I’m sure the city will pull together.” Wade wound up working out with James in California the day after Irma struck Florida, with James posting on Instagram, “Always great when I can link back up on court and put some work in with my brother @dwyanewade!! It just feels different. #Brotherhood #striveforgreatness #WorkTilItHurtsandBeyond.” Wade later posted on his Instagram to James, “Your greatness is not what you have, it’s what you give. To say we had a great week of work would be an understatement. We both helped push each other to go outside of our comfort zones.”
NUMEROLOGY: With the Los Angeles Lakers announcing plans to retire both the No. 8 and No. 24 worn by Kobe Bryant, it is worth noting that players wearing dual numbers for a franchise hardly is unique (albeit unique for a player who spends his entire career with that team). The Heat have had 15 such players: Michael Beasley (No. 8, No. 30), Bruce Bowen (No. 12,
No. 3), Duane Causwell (No. 4, No. 31), Mario Chalmers (No. 15, No. 6), Ricky Davis (No. 31, No. 21), Eddie House (No. 55, No. 5), Mike James (No. 7, No. 12), Voshon Lenard (No. 21, No. 22), Harold Miner (No. 4, No. 32), Billy Owens (No. 30, No. 32), Khalid Reeves (No. 3, No. 1), Brian Shaw (No. 20, No. 22), Steve
Smith (No. 8, No. 3), Mark Strickland (No. 30, No. 5) and Dorell Wright (No. 11, No. 1), MAKE IT A DOUBLE: Dan Majerle will enter his second state hall of fame on Nov. 1, with this past week’s announcement the former Heat forward had been elected to the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame, Majerle, who played for the Heat from 1996 to 2001, previously was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. He has been coach at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix since 2013, after serving as a Phoenix Suns assistant coach from 2008 to 2013. The Traverse City, Mich., native played for the Suns from 1988 to ‘95 and then again in 2001-02.