In the lane

TOUR TIME: Count Reggie Miller among those who believe in the power of the farewell tour. While much has been mentioned about Dwyane Wade’s self-proclaimed “One Last Dance” with the Heat, Miller believes there could be a similar impact with Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks, even in the competitive Western Conference. “As hard as those Miami Heat players are going to play for the one last dance for Dwyane Wade,” the TNT analyst and Hall of Famer said, “they’re going to do the same thing for Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas. They want to see him one last time on the biggest stage. I’m not saying they’re going to win a playoff. They’re going to the playoffs and probably get drubbed in the first round, but this is going to be a special year for each of these franchises, for two of these obvious first-ballot Hall of Famers. Both will make the playoffs this year.” BIG DEAL: Amid the Heat’s plans to create rotation minutes for centers Hassan Whiteside, Bam Adebayo and Kelly Olynyk, Orlando Magic coach Steve Clifford said his intention is to play centers Nikola Vucevic and Mo Bamba together this season. Clifford, whose team hosts the Heat on opening night Wednesday, said the approach is one that was developed while working alongside former Heat coach Stan Van Gundy. “My feeling is, again, I’m going to go all the way back to what Stan used to say: You have to find ways to get your best players on the floor, and they’re two of our best players,” Clifford said. As with the Heat and Adebayo, Clifford said it is about the ability of his young big man to defend on the perimeter. “It’s going to be how comfortable Mo can get playing the four defensively,” Clifford said, “which he’s more than capable.”

WAITING GAME: February will mark three full years since former Heat forward Chris Bosh played his most recent NBA game, sidelined both before and since by blood clots. At 34, he is not yet ready to announce his retirement, even with the potential difficulties of getting a team to risk signing him. As part of their parting agreement, the Heat are not allowed to sign Bosh going forward. Bosh this past week spoke to several outlets about a potential comeback, making an appearance at Madison Square Garden for a New York Knicks exhibition. “Teams are just waiting to hear back from me,” he told ESPN’s The Undefeated. “I’ve talked to a couple of guys. They just want to know where I am at. They want to have a conversation with me and talk to me and see what it is I’m exactly trying to do. I’ve been doing other things and taking care of my personal life. But I think in the next couple months I will really be able to reach out to guys. I’m ready to work out if they want me to do that.”

KEEPING UP WITH JONES: Count Heat coach Erik Spoelstra among those who sees nothing surprising about the ascension of former Heat 3-point specialist James Jones to a lead role in the Phoenix Suns’ personnel department. “J.J. was the very first player I recruited,” Spoelstra said. “I figured he would be a Miami Heat-type guy, being from Miami, playing at UM. And just the way he played, and seeing him in the systems he was in before, not only in Phoenix -- where that was obviously compelling for us to have that kind of spacing, as a big shooter -- but the toughness and player development that he showed in Indiana to fight to become a real consistent rotation player in this league. Those qualities tended to work well with us. So it’s not a surprise seeing him get into the basketball side of things. He was a very intellectual player and that’s translating to the next step in his career.”