IN THE LANE

NUNN SENSE: With emotion running high amid the Lakers’ struggles, former Heat guard Kendrick Nunn took a proactive approach to those questioning his commitment to his new team, posting on Twitter, “Lake Show I promise I want to be out there helping my team. Stay patient with me. This process has been just as frustrating for me. I’ll return as soon as I’m healthy! It’ll be worth the wait.” Three folded-hand prayer emoji’s followed. Of Nunn’s knee issue, the latest from Lakers’ coach Frank Vogel was,“Bone bruises are tricky, and his timeline is delayed. Still have no firm timeline on it, but he’s pulled back from workload until it calms down.”

OLYNYK’S JOY: Out since Nov. 10 with a knee sprain, former Heat center Kelly Olynyk returned with a 22-point, nine-rebound performance for the Detroit Pistons in Wednesday night’s 133-131 victory over the Sacramento Kings, expressing just how much joy the game still delivers. “Being away from the game,” Olynyk, 30, said, “you realize how much you miss it, and how much you love it. I’m trying to tell these young guys that like take advantage of every single night, because you don’t know when stuff’s taken away from you, it’s different, man. Life’s boring without basketball. I’ll tell you that much.” As was the case with the Houston Rockets after he was dealt from the Heat in March in the Victor Oladipo trade, Olynyk has shown his value as mentor on a rebuilding team. “He’s a pro for a reason,” Pistons forward Saddiq Bey said. “He’s a great vet.”

MCGRUDER’S CONFUSION: Speaking of the Pistons and former Heat players, it was quite the whirlwind of a week for Rodney

McGruder, who was dealt to the Denver Nuggets for Bol Bol only to have the deal rescinded when Bol failed his Detroit physical. Back with the Pistons, McGruder promptly put together 19- and 15-point efforts. “It was different,” McGruder understated. “In this business, it’s part of it. You only can control what you can control. It was a lot of travel. It was kid of tough.” Having worked his way to the Heat after time in Hungary and the G League, McGruder, 30, said he has learned to be prepared for anything. “I’ve been through some crazy things in this NBA,” McGruder said. “I’ve seen it all, and I’ve been thought some things. And it’s part of it.”

LEONARD SPEAKS: Former Heat center Meyers Leonard said it is his recovery from injuries, and not the reaction to an anti-Semitic slur, that he believes has him out of the NBA. He told the Chicago Tribune that shoulder and ankle issues have kept him out of the game, but a desire to return remains. “As everybody in the room knows, there’s plenty of NBA teams who want me and that I could be playing for right now, but I’m just not healthy enough,” Leonard, 29, said. “Did the incident help my case? No. But this time to heal? Yes.” Suspended a week and fined $50,000 by the NBA for the comment made while livestreaming video-game play, Leonard was traded by the Heat to the Oklahoma City Thunder last March for Trevor Ariza, and has been out of the league since. And, yes, Heat hope remains. “I would be ecstatic if I could play for the Miami Heat again,” he said. “I fell in love with that place, I really did. My wife and I love it there. There’s something about the culture there that’s just me.”

PRECIOUS MOMENTS: His return overshadowed by Bam Adebayo’s return from a seven-week injury absence, former Heat center Precious Achiuwa certainly had his moments with his 15 rebounds in the Toronto Raptors’ Monday loss at FTX Arena. Achiuwa, dealt in the Kyle Lowry trade, will be back next weekend at FTX for more. “Precious has been really good to work with,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said of the Heat 2020 first-round pick ahead of the first of his team’s two games in Miami over a 13-day period. “We’re just trying to learn him and let him learn us a little bit. I think he does a lot of things. He’s big and strong. He’ll get on the rim, can handle some, rebound and really move his feet on defense. We think we’ve got a really young, versatile player.”

NUMBER 136

Games with the Heat it took Jimmy Butler to tie LeBron James’ franchise record of nine career triple-doubles. James did it in 294 games over his four seasons with the team.