NOVEMBER 22: Leonard has put pen to paper on his new contract, making it official, the Heat announced (via Twitter).
NOVEMBER 20: Free agent center Meyers Leonard tells Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link) that he plans to re-sign with the Heat.
He’ll get a two-year deal that includes a team option on year two, according to Reynolds, who adds (via Twitter) that the deal is expected to start at around $9MM. It’ll be worth close to $20MM overall, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). The second-year team option will allow the Heat to protect their cap room for 2021.
“I wanted nothing more than to come back to Miami. Literally nothing more,” Leonard told Reynolds (Twitter link).
Leonard, 28, was the Heat’s starting center for most of the 2019/20 season, averaging 6.1 PPG and 5.1 RPG with a solid .509/.414/.643 shooting line in 51 games (20.3 MPG). He saw his role reduced in the postseason, but Miami was still interested in continuing the relationship going forward.
Heat president Pat Riley indicated earlier this week that he wanted to “run this thing back” with the squad that made it to the NBA Finals this year, and it sounds like the team is making good on that vow. In addition to reaching an agreement with Leonard, the Heat have already struck a deal to re-sign Goran Dragic.
Nice deal
Running it back. Finals team, makes sense.
Seems like Crowder & DJJ haven’t re-signed yet, expecting nicer offers from a some other teams.
Damm 10 mil a season for 6 points 5 rebounds per game. Leonard straight stealing from the Heat. Especially considering they have Adbeyo, Olynyk and now Precious Achiwura at the 4/5 spots
How does this guy keep getting paid? He is not good.
Hopefully this deal don’t take Noel out of the 6ers price range
That is a LOT of money for Leonard.
He is needs to average 10ppg!
He needs to average 10ppg.
nothing against him after he was a positive for the Heat last season, but his was a spot I felt they could, and should upgrade…unless they’re moving Olynyk…He still spaces the floor for them and sets great screens, and isnt terrible on defense for them. I just think his skillset is a little redundant with what they already have, and they could use a big that can defend the post for 8-14 minutes per game
Meanwhile, the other main issue is size at the 4, so hopefully they can still potentially address that with Paul Milsap, or someone else that I may have mentioned previously
You gotta wonder if they think they can move Olynyk. Those guys do basically the same thing except Leonard is a bigger body and Olynyk a better playmaker. Makes little sense having them both. Leonard didn’t even get off the bench in the playoffs
Leonard was a starter for the HEAT all season long, he’s slow as molasses. but he’s big and can hit the occasional 3. He doesn’t overdo things and just plays his role. He seems to be a good locker-room presence as well.
That being said, I was thinking that around 5M would be the fair price for him.
They are paying him and Olynyk 22M combined
Horrible plan Riley. Run back the same team that lost. Dragic healthy, you still lose. Bam healthy, you might win 1 more game.