Heat big man Meyers Leonard is set to reach unrestricted free agency at the end of the season, but the 28-year-old is comfortable with his current situation in Miami, he explained this week.
Leonard, who was acquired by the Heat in July of 2019, was set to make $11.2MM and has started in all 49 of his games with the team this season.
“I’m in a good place here in Miami,” Leonard said on a podcast with John Canzano of The Oregonian, as relayed by the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. “I really feel as though I help Jimmy (Butler) and Bam (Adebayo) in a lot of ways. I space the floor, I give them opportunities to attack driving lanes and get out in transition. Again, I don’t mind taking the physical demand. I don’t mind boxing out every single time. If the ball comes to me, fine. If we get it, that’s great and that’s what I want.”
Leonard is among multiple Heat players set to reach free agency this summer, along with Goran Dragic, Jae Crowder, Derrick Jones Jr., Udonis Haslem and Solomon Hill. Kelly Olynyk holds a player option worth $13.2MM for the following season.
Leonard has fit in seamlessly with the Heat, spreading the floor alongside Adebayo while shouldering some of the workload on the glass. He’s averaging 6.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in 20.1 minutes per contest, shooting an impressive 43% from deep.
There’s more from the Southeast Division tonight:
- Wizards guard Troy Brown is looking to improve his lateral quickness in order to defend smaller guards next season, as relayed by Fred Katz of The Athletic. “The thing I want to work on this offseason is definitely to keep on improving my 3-point shooting and then just working on my lateral quickness and guarding small point guards,” Brown wrote.
- In his latest mailbag for the Sun Sentinel, Ira Winderman ponders whether Jae Crowder could become more valuable for the Heat than Andre Iguodala. Miami traded for both players in February, sending away the likes of Justise Winslow, James Johnson and Dion Waiters to Memphis in exchange for the duo.
- Chris Kirschner of The Athletic examines which Hawks players might return in free agency for next season. Jeff Teague, Treveon Graham and Vince Carter (retirement) are all slated to become unrestricted free agents, with DeAndre’ Bembry, Skal Labissiere and Damian Jones set to enter restricted free agency.
I really rate Jae Crowder and him joining Miami was a goodie for the Heat.
He’s a 6’6 combo forward (mainly a SF), he’s a great modern day SF, cause of his size, physical play and ability to shoot the 3 and defend well.
He can be a starter, a 6th man or a bench role player he’s going to play 100% and be effective.
I remember back in those celtic teams they though he could guard LeBron in his prime obvious he struggled but he was up to the challenge and gave it his all which is all you can ask someone to do. At the time he was in his 5th season putting up 14-5-2 in 30 minutes of action.
He also doesn’t speak out much or complain, never asked for big contracts and bigger roles, he’s just a solid baller and that suits the Heat
Crowder is solid. A vet who’s played big games. Iggy too has been there. Heat have a nice mix of youth and vets. A team on rise for sure. Jimmy has always been one my favorite players. Two way star. Not many of those around.
Hawks are a young team on rise. With this yrs draft. Plus Capela from beginning. They should be a playoff team next yr. I’m real curious to see who they draft. Seems a real 2 guard is biggest need. I think the East in general will be much tougher next yr.
With Napier a FA, Jerome Robinson slow to develop, and Beal able to run the team, Brown may figure to find more minutes with Beal at PG. He is not getting stronger as a forward, and next year the coach wants to set Rui free to find his game.
If Brown is scrambling, he must think WAS will bid high for Bertans and Beal will stay.