■ Johnson to face former Heat teammates as member of Timberwolves.

MIAMI — It’s not quite the same as when Josh Richardson and Hassan Whiteside returned in opposing colors.

Those were circled on calendars when the Mami Heat schedule came out in August.

But there will be a reunion and expected embraces, nonetheless, Wednesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena, when James Johnson returns with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Cast aside at the Feb. 6 trading deadline as part of the move that delivered Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill from the Memphis Grizzlies, Johnson has been playing extended minutes in the Timberwolves power rotation lacking sidelined center Karl-Anthony Towns.

As he did at the outset of his Heat tenure, Johnson has been filling the box score with points, rebounds and assists. He returns coming off a 19-point performance Monday against the Dallas Mavericks.

“We all know what JJ’s capable of,” Heat center Bam Adebayo said. “And that’s JJ being himself. I don’t think it was a change of scenery. He got a great opportunity in Minnesota and taking care of business. So I don’t think it’s a change of scenery. It’s JJ being able to be himself on the court.”

In his six appearances with the ’Wolves, Johnson has played at least 20 minutes in each, something that only happened six times over the first half of the season with the Heat.

Of the three players dealt by the Heat at the deadline, Johnson has been the only one to again take the court. Justise Winslow has yet to play for the Grizzlies due to the back injury at the end of his Heat tenure, with Dion Waiters out of work following his release by Memphis.

Even if Winslow were to return this season, the Heat are done with their two-game season series against the Grizzlies. As for Waiters, he reportedly is being monitored by the Los Angeles Lakers, with the Heat done with that two-game series.

For all his conditioning issues and sanctions from the Heat’s front office, Johnson, 33, was beloved by his teammates.

“We knew what JJ could do all along,” forward Derrick Jones Jr. said. “JJ’s always going to be the same player. He’s a great player in this league and he’s my brother. It’s going to be a fun night, but it’s all business.

“I’m glad to see him back out there playing and happy again.”

Even if it is as an undersized, 6-foot-7 center, the Timberwolves with little other choice, with Karl-Anthony Towns sidelined with a wrist injury.

“I’ve got one of the biggest hearts in the league,” Johnson said. “I don’t think bench pressing or anything else like that is going to prepare me for the skilled big men in our league these days. I think I hold my own.”

Since Johnson was dealt, no player has walked into the Heat locker room in a spaceman outfit or what appeared to be some sort of metallic trash bag.

“I always tell him he’s got the most drip in the league,” Adebayo said. “And that’s just utmost respect for him. Guys take fashion to a next level and he’s one of those dudes that he’s Tier 1 in fashion and I feel like he doesn’t get enough credit for it.

“I don’t think I can pull that off. That’s just not me. But somebody like JJ can pull that off.”

In that respect, Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro have tried, but Johnson was at a whole other level, if not planet.

“We got K-Nunn and Tyler now,” Jones said. “Not at the level, but they’re getting there. They learned from the best. They’re getting close.”