MIAMI — As he returned to Kaseya Center for Sunday’s exhibition, former Miami Heat guard Anthony Carter opened up about a summer whirlwind that had him arriving with ongoing respect for the Heat but also as an opposing coach with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Not one to stand in the way of his assistants moving on to bigger things, be it when David Fizdale became Grizzlies coach in 2016, Juwan Howard became coach at Michigan in 2019 or Dan Craig took on more responsibilities as an assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2020, Erik Spoelstra this time saw Carter move from the back of his bench to the front of Taylor Jenkins’ bench in Memphis.

When Carter prepared for summer league in Las Vegas in July, it was with the intention of continuing as a Spoelstra developmental assistant, a role held with the Heat from 2018 through last season.

With teams limited to three assistants on the front of the bench alongside the head coach, Carter found that Heat path blocked by Spoelstra lead assistants Chris Quinn, Malik Allen and Caron Butler.

Then the Grizzlies stepped up with a chance to step forward, with Memphis general manager Zach Kleiman contacting Heat general manager Andy Elisburg.

“Zach reached out to Andy and he asked them if they would talk to me about a front-of-the-bench coaching job. And Andy said, ‘Of course,’ ” Carter said. “And then we started to communicate, and things started to happen really quick.

“I told Andy what would be the situation and am I allowed to talk to ’em? And he was like only if it was a promotion and not the same spot. So we just started talking and I met with them in Vegas and everything else is history.”

What hasn’t changed for Carter is the focus, which remains developmental coach.

“I still have the player-developmental title, and he’s using a lot of my input,” he said of Jenkins, who is in his fifth season as Grizzlies coach, and, like Carter, has roots in the G League. “It’s the same as Spo. If I see something, he lets me say something.

“So nothing is really different except sitting in front of the bench, and the pay difference.”

The interviews with the Grizzlies in Vegas were extensive, with Carter appreciative of the NBA word of mouth that created the interest, with no previous connection between Carter, 48, and Jenkins, 39.

“We just hit it off.” Carter said.

So Heat culture hit the road.

“It’s similar,” Carter said. “Everybody is hands on, and the staff is way bigger than the Miami Heat. And the culture is going in the right direction, the way I’ve seen over the two months I’ve been here.

“I’m just trying to bring some of that.”

Amid the off-court issues that have All-Star guard Ja Morant suspended for the season’s first 25 games, culture clearly has been a Grizzlies priority, with Memphis in the offseason trading for Boston Celtics backcourt leader Marcus Smart and signing veteran guard Derrick Rose as a mentor.

“All of us have been through it, and all of us have experience.” Carter said of himself, Smart and Rose. “And we can hold all these young guys accountable. Because I see Marcus saying the same thing I’m saying, and we see D-Rose doing it. We’re just trying to teach them to be pros.”

Such was never an issue for Carter, including his playing time with the Heat from 1999 to 2003, which is what had him circling Sunday’s return, even if just an exhibition.

“It’s emotional,” Carter said. “It’s more about the ushers and the janitors and the people upstairs, because I spoke to those people as much as I spoke to the coaching staff. It’s the people I built the relationships with, like the team store, the people that be cleaning, and the security. Those are the people that hit me hard.

“Because I’ll see the coaches again. Coaching against Spo, it’s going to happen again. But those other people at the arena is what gave me pride, making the people smile, giving them shoes, signing stuff, getting stuff signed from the players. It makes me happy to see them happy. That’s Heat culture, too, and means a lot to me.”