Mario Chalmers, Kyrie Irving

Miami Heat's Mario Chalmers (15) drives past Cleveland Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving in the third quarter of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

(Mark Duncan)

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – You might say Mario Chalmers had it rough in Miami.

Sure, he was the starting point guard playing alongside three future Hall-of-Famers and that resulted in them securing back-to-back NBA championships.

He had some fun, but he sure took a pounding and not the kind guards take when they're constantly attacking the basket.

Cavaliers forward LeBron James was hard on Chalmers in their four years together in Miami. As the floor general, Chalmers made his share of boneheaded blunders and James, being the perfectionist that he is, would repetitively scold Chalmers publicly during games.

Sometimes Chalmers would argue back, trying to make his point. However, you're not winning that battle against the best player in the world. It wasn't aimed at being malicious. He just wanted Chalmers to succeed at his job.

James was hard on his former point guard because he's a point guard at heart and understands how the position should be played.

Nevertheless, Chalmers seems relieved that it's now Kyrie Irving's problem.

"LeBron is a dominant player so if he feels like something is not going his way, he's going to say something about it," Chalmers told Northeast Ohio Media Group. "For Kyrie, he's going to have to adjust to that and LeBron is going to have to adjust to Kyrie. It's going to be a different factor for Kyrie."

To be fair, James has never played with a legitimate All-Star-caliber point guard before. Irving's skillset will allow James a freedom he's never experienced in the league. Maybe James won't have to berate Irving. Maybe he will anyway. Only time will tell.

Chalmers refused to elaborate on what it was like when a furious James was approaching and you knew he wasn't coming to give a hug.

"Man, that process is over and done with it," Chalmers said. "It's a fresh start, fresh team, new year."

He then took it a step further and claimed to have amnesia.

"I don't even remember, bro," he said. "Last year is in the past. This is a new year. New me. I'm not thinking about it."

Chalmers did say the Heat feel slighted since people are writing them off with the departure of James. He believes the addition of Luol Deng will prove to be a strong investment.

Chalmers and the Heat have moved on from the James era. They're not looking back or reminiscing. James is no longer a member of the Heat. They're over it.

"Look, we had a beautiful four-year chapter and all of us had an opportunity to reflect on that this summer," Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said of James to NEOMG. "The one thing that's constant in this league is change. We have to get on with it."