IN THE LANE

THE OTHER SIDE: Amid his new reality that has Kevin Durant with the Brooklyn Nets and Klay Thompson on the injured list for at least the first half of the season, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said it has led to greater appreciation for what Erik Spoelstra has been working through with the Heat since the 2014 free-agency departure of

LeBron James, who went back to the Cleveland Cavaliers. “I think about Erik Spoelstra, somebody I really admire,” Kerr told NBCSports Bay Area. “I think he’s one of the best coaches in the game. He went from coaching the Big Three — Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James — to all of a sudden a bunch of young guys. What I admire about Erik is that Miami’s culture has never changed. When you play Miami, it doesn’t matter who is out there. You know you’re in for a tough game. They’re going to battle you and compete like crazy because they have built something tangible. Erik makes sure he upholds that culture. That’s what we’re trying to do this year.”

WAIT, THERE’S MORE: Then there’s former Heat assistant coach Juwan Howard paying homage this past week after taking over as Michigan coach in May. “Erik Spoelstra started teaching me how and what to look for, how to prepare for it as a coach, how to prepare the game-planning for opponents,” Howard said during the Big Ten media days. “All that information and data I started collecting was helping me prepare for this day [and] moving forward.” Howard revealed he long had been an admirer of John Beilein before succeeding him with the Wolverines when Beilein moved on to coach the Cavaliers. “There were times I would ask Erik Spoelstra to reach out to Coach Beilein because I would say, ‘Hey, this guy is interesting.’ He’s one of the best basketball minds out there.”

BACK AGAIN: For Ryan Anderson, NBA life truly has come full circle. He was signed by the Houston Rockets on the eve of camp, after going from the Rockets to the Suns to the Heat. Anderson’s Heat tenure was limited to 44 minutes over 10 appearance after being acquired at the February NBA trade deadline. “It’s an easy adjustment back with this group and the system’s obviously the same,” he told the Houston Chronicle. “Just playing the other day, for the first time again with these guys, there was no adjustment period at all. So it’s all good. And I still have my condo here, so it was an easy move. There’s not really even a move.”

HIS TRUTH: If Chris Paul is, indeed, working toward moving on from the Oklahoma City Thunder, it is not something he is verbalizing. “It’s funny,” he said during the Thunder’s media day, “because a lot people try to tell your truth or your story and say what you want, all this different type stuff. I’m excited about the opportunity, excited about our team, excited about building.”

HIS TRUTH, TOO: Similarly, if Bradley Beal, also linked to the Heat, is looking to move on from the Washington Wizards, he is not letting on. He has an Oct. 21 deadline for the three-year, $111 million extension offered by the Wizards. “The deal’s on the table, but I’m definitely just taking my time and evaluating what’s best for my family,” he said during Wizards’ media day. “I know a lot of people are doubting us, questioning: How they are going to be? What’s their identity? What am I going to do? It’s a million questions, but I’m all about proving people wrong. It’ll be a year of patience and a year of learning and a year of growing. But, you know, to each his own. I’m not worried about other people’s opinion.”