NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog
NBA Blog: The NBA basketball news blog section of Inside Hoops
The Milwaukee Bucks have signed center Meyers Leonard to a contract for the remainder of the season.
Leonard played in five games with the Bucks this season while on two 10-day contracts and averaged 2.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in 6.8 minutes per game.
The 7-foot center has now appeared in 452 games with Portland, Miami and Milwaukee in his NBA career and holds averages of 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds in 15.9 minutes per game.
The Oklahoma City Thunder has waived forward/center Meyers Leonard, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.
Leonard was originally acquired from the Miami Heat on March 17, 2021. He was traded by the Heat after getting caught spewing an antisemitic slur during a live video game stream.
He can now sit at home, where he’ll have more time to play video games.
The Oklahoma City Thunder yesterday acquired a 2027 second-round draft pick, forward/center Meyers Leonard and generated a trade exception in a trade with the Miami Heat for forward Trevor Ariza.
Leonard, who was recently caught on a live video game stream spewing an antisemitic slur, will not be reporting to Oklahoma City and will not be an active member of the organization.
Oklahoma City will have one year from today to exercise the trade exception.
As part of the announcement, the Heat issued the following statement: “Meyers was a key part of our team that made a run to the NBA Finals and we will always be grateful for his contributions and leadership last season. His recent comments were very hurtful and disappointing, but, we are encouraged that he has spent this last week meeting with community leaders, Rabbis and Holocaust survivors to greater understand the impact of his words and we hope that his education will continue. We wish Meyers and Elle the best of luck in the future.”
Ariza, a 16-year NBA veteran, has appeared in 1,064 career NBA games (731 starts) averaging 10.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.49 steals and 29.7 minutes while shooting 42.3 percent from the field. He split last season between Sacramento and Portland, appearing in 21 games (all starts) most recently with the Trail Blazers averaging 11.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.62 steals and 33.4 minutes while shooting 49.1 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and 87.2 percent from the foul line, helping Portland to a postseason berth. He scored in double-figures 19 times last season, including four 20-point performances. He recorded 22 multi-steal games, including a season-high six against the Los Angeles Lakers on January 31. Ariza, who was born in Miami, has made nine postseason appearances where he helped the Lakers win the 2009 NBA Championship after appearing in 23 games (all starts) in their playoff run.
Miami Heat player Meyers Leonard has been fined $50,000 and suspended from all Heat facilities and team activities for one week for an anti-Semitic comment he made Monday, March 8, the NBA announced today.
Leonard will also be required to participate in a cultural diversity program.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released the following statement:
“Meyers Leonard’s comment was inexcusable and hurtful and such an offensive term has no place in the NBA or in our society. Yesterday, he spoke to representatives of the Anti-Defamation League to better understand the impact of his words and we accept that he is genuinely remorseful. We have further communicated to Meyers that derogatory comments like this will not be tolerated and that he will be expected to uphold the core values of our league – equality, tolerance, inclusion and respect – at all times moving forward.”
Meyers Leonard is back on the Miami Heat. The team officially re-signed the center today.
“It’s good to have him back,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “He is a prototypical center, a very good one. Meyers is strong on the interior of our defense and sets screens as well as anyone in the league to get our shooters and drivers open. He also shots over 40 percent from three-point range. He is one of the most positive attitude players we have in the locker room. A real team guy. We expect him to have a great season.”
Per the Miami Herald, “Leonard’s new contract with the Heat is a two-year, nearly $20 million deal with a team option in the second season, according to a league source.”
Leonard played in 51 games (49 starts) last season with the HEAT, helping the team to a 34-17 (.667) record over that span, and averaged 6.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 20.3 minutes while shooting 50.9 percent from the field and 41.4 percent from three-point range. His 41.1 percent (53-of-128) from downtown was the highest percentage by any center in the NBA last season with at least 10 made. Leonard tied his career highs of nine field goals made vs. Houston on November 3, three blocks vs. Atlanta on October 29 and three steals vs. Sacramento on January 20. Additionally, he recorded season highs of 21 points vs. Houston and grabbed 14 rebounds while connecting on four three-point field goals at Orlando on February 1.
The eight-year NBA veteran has appeared in 444 career games (91 starts) and averaged 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds in 16.1 minutes of action while shooting 48.2 percent from the field, 39 percent from three-point range and 81.1 percent from the foul line. He has scored in double-figures 83 times, including four 20-point games, and has grabbed double-figure rebounds on 20 occasions and posted 13 double-doubles. He has also connected on multiple three-point field goals 83 times.
 |
The Portland Trail Blazers have re-signed forward/center Meyers Leonard, it was announced yesterday by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.
“Meyers is a core member of our organization and continues to show the promise and potential we anticipated when we drafted him,” said Olshey.
Leonard averaged career-highs with 8.4 points (44.8% FG, 37.7% 3-PT76.1% FT), 5.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 21.9 minutes in 61 games (10 starts) in 2015-16. He missed the final 14 games of the regular season due to an injured left shoulder.
“Today is a day which is hard to describe. I’m overcome with happiness and joy,” said Leonard. “I’m thankful for the people who have remained loyal and loving in my life. This is the product of a lot of hard work and time. I feel like I have found a new gear mentally and physically and really am excited for the next four years. The future is going to be bright with this team.”
In four NBA seasons, Leonard (7-1, 255) has averaged 5.8 points (48.9% FG, 38.5% 3-PT, 81.4% FT), 4.1 rebounds 0.8 assists and 16.6 minutes in 225 games (26 starts). The Illinois native made more three-pointers last season (86) than he did through his first three seasons combined (50).
Portland selected Leonard with the 11th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, after the forward/center played in 65 games over two collegiate seasons at Illinois.