IN THE LANE

NO UMBRAGE TAKEN: In attempting to praise what he has joined, based on the Heat’s lineage of success, Terry Rozier noted this past week of his trade from the Charlotte Hornets, “It’s the total opposite. When you’re in Charlotte, you’re kind of used to losing. It’s kind of your DNA. Over here, it’s the total opposite. No one wants to lose. No one is fine with it.” Social media, of course, jumped all over it. But here’s the thing – the Hornets didn’t.“I interpreted that as I think he was more talking about the pressure to win in Miami than there was here,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford told the Charlotte Observer.“I think he just made a statement. I love Terry, everybody loves Terry. Terry loves our guys. I just think sometimes things get taken. He made a statement. I don’t think it’s any big deal.” Hornets forward Miles Bridges did not see Rozier’s comment as out of line or insulting.“I mean, he’s not wrong,” Bridges said. “I’m not saying we’ve got losing DNA, but the way that we’ve been taking losses and . . . I wouldn’t say we are getting used to it, but it’s like we are just moving on. We are not really taking it that serious. We’ve got to take it serious, man.”

BATTLE OF ATTRITION? With absences in 18 or more games making players ineligible for postseason awards under a rule adopted this season, some have pointed to Heat center Bam Adebayo being on the precipice of being ineligible, having already missed 10 games. (That number actually is 11 according to the rule, because Adebayo played only 12 minutes in another game, which, under the rule counts as not having played.) But with Adebayo eligible for a supermax extension this offseason if he is named to one of the three All-NBA teams, he actually could benefit from the limitation if he stays healthy and others also on the precipice become ineligible. That particularly could become a factor with All-NBA teams starting this season no longer position-specific, merely a vote for the league’s top 15 players. In danger of becoming ineligible (with missed games as of Feb. 1) are Jamal Murray (14), Kristaps Porzingis (14), Tyrese Haliburton (13), Jimmy Butler (13), Joel Embiid (13) and Lauri Markkanen (10). Already ineligible are Darius Garland (24), Bradley Beal (24) and Kyrie Irving (20).

ON THE MOVE: Victor Oladipo

has not played a game since tearing the patellar tendon in his left knee on April 23 in a Heat playoff victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. Nonetheless, since then, he has been traded three times, the latest move from the Houston Rockets to the Memphis Grizzlies, reduced at this point to an accounting entry with his $9.5 million 2023-24 salary. To recap: The Heat sent Oladipo and two second-round picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder on July 6, in a move to save against the luxury tax. Oladipo then was dealt from the Thunder to the Rockets as part of the machinations to allow Houston to offload the contract of troubled guard

Kevin Porter Jr. Now comes the trade to the Grizzlies, with sidelined center Steven Adams going to Houston. The next step for Oladipo, 31, will be the Grizzlies either offering a buyout or simply allowing Oladipo’s contract to expire without putting him in uniform. The Heat initially acquired Oladipo from the Rockets in March 2021 at the cost of Kelly Olynyk and Avery Bradley.

RECENCY AND RIO: With Heat championship point guard Mario Chalmers a guest on The OGs podcast that retired Heat icon Udonis Haslem hosts with former University of Florida and Heat teammate Mike Miller, Chalmers staked his claim as the top 3-point shooter in Heat history. Haslem clapped back with his top five, in order, of Duncan Robinson, Miller, Ray Allen, Tyler Herro and James Jones. Asked by Haslem which of those he could possibly outshoot, Chalmers, who had fancied himself as one of the league’s top point guards during his Heat tenure, replied,“I’ll outshoot all of them.”As it is, Chalmers is not in the Heat all-time Top 10 in 3-point percentage, but does rank sixth in 3-pointers made, behind Robinson, Tim Hardaway, Eddie Jones, Glen Rice and Herro. Still, when it comes to Heat all-time 3-point shooters, with all due respect to Haslem, Rice has to be on that list, with consideration, as well, for Jason Kapono, Wayne Ellington, Hardaway, perhaps even Voshon Lenard.