Meyers Leonard is an AAC client represented by Aaron Mintz. Leonard is currently a member of the Miami Heat after spending his first 7 seasons with the Portland Trailblazers.
The 7-foot big man started 49 games for Heat, alongside Bam Adebayo, before a sprained left ankle closed him for 16 games in a row leading to arrest. While playing for Miami, Leonard showed his efficiency, shooting 52% from the field and 43% from three out of 20 minutes / game.
Coach Erik Spoelstra encouraged Leonard to be more aggressive at the end of the offensive. His defense, although not known for the showy statlines as the main big names in the league, was more than acceptable for the Heat.
Leonard is signing a $ 41 million 4-year contract. Due to the limited contract space due to COVID-19, the Heat may be judicious in distributing contracts to some of their free agents, including Leonard. This could be an opportunity for the Knicks to capitalize.
Although it is certainly not an initial caliber center, Leonard’s stability in defense and the ability to stretch the floor can pay dividends for the second unit. hE would be a more than adequate backup center for Mitchell Robinson. In addition, it would be good to try to force the Miami Heat to overpay Leonard, or even to overcome it in the same process. At the same time, New York will not want to significantly outperform the other teams for Leonard, unless it is for a short-term deal that will still generate enough flexibility for 2021 and beyond.