Heat’s Meyers Leonard expected to miss rest of season. Also, Spoelstra on Butler’s passion
The Miami Heat is expected to be without center Meyers Leonard for the rest of the season.
Leonard underwent successful surgery on his injured shoulder and he’s expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the season, according to a league source. The Athletic’s Shams Charania was the first to report the news.
“I truly do believe that God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers,” Leonard tweeted Tuesday night. “I’m blessed in so many ways and I will come back stronger from this. Thankful for a successful surgery and for everyone’s continued support.”
Leonard, 28, injured his shoulder in the Heat’s Jan. 9 road win over the Washington Wizards and has missed each of the past 12 games with what has been listed as a strained left shoulder.
“It’s just unfortunate to go through that. We all have his back,” Heat guard Tyler Herro said following Tuesday’s practice in preparation for Wednesday’s game against the Washington Wizards at AmericanAirlines Arena (8 p.m., Fox Sports Sun). “So whatever Meyers needs, he’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had.”
The team announced Monday that Leonard was away from the team to receive consultation from a doctor on his injured shoulder. Before that, he was accompanying his teammates on the bench for home games despite being unavailable.
“He’s one of the best teammates I’ve had, as far as his leadership and his voice,” Herro said. “When he steps into a room or a locker room, he’s always heard and he’s always preaching the right thing.”
Before the injury, Leonard averaged 3.3 points on 42.9 percent shooting on threes and 2.3 rebounds in three games (two starts) in his second season with the Heat.
“He was always encouraging guys,” Heat guard Goran Dragic said Tuesday. “He was the most vocal guy on our team. We’re definitely going to miss him.”
Leonard returned to the Heat as a free agent this past offseason, signing a two-year deal topping $19 million. The contract includes a salary of about $9.4 million this season and a 10.2 million team option next season.
It’s possible that Leonard has played his final game as a member of the Heat because of that team option that would allow Miami to get out of the contract this upcoming offseason.
With Leonard likely out for the season, the Heat is expected to apply for a $4.7 million disabled player exception. The exception is worth half of the disabled player’s salary, which in this case is $4.7 million of Leonard’s $9.4 million salary this season.
If granted, the disabled player exception can be used to sign a free agent on a salary up to $4.7 million for the rest of the season, to trade for a player in the final season of his contract worth $4.7 million or less, or to claim a player on waivers who is in the final season of his contract worth $4.7 million or less.
But in order to use the exception, the Heat would have to trade or release a player to open a roster spot. Miami currently has the league-maximum of 15 players signed to standard deals on its roster.
Without Leonard, the Heat’s frontcourt options to play alongside starting center Bam Adebayo includes Kelly Olynyk, Precious Achiuwa, Chris Silva and Udonis Haslem. If Miami wants to play smaller, Andre Iguodala, KZ Okpala and Moe Harkless are some of the other options.
It has been an eventful Heat tenure for Leonard, who also missed extended time last season because of an injury.
Leonard, who spent the first seven seasons of his NBA career with the Portland Trail Blazers before he was dealt to the Heat in July 2019 as part of the four-team Jimmy Butler trade, played two very different roles in his first season with Miami.
Before the NBA suspended the season on March 11 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Leonard averaged 6.1 points while shooting 52 percent from the field and 42.9 percent on threes, 5.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 20.1 minutes through 49 games (49 starts) as a full-time starter for the Heat.
Then Leonard missed each of the 16 games prior to the league shutdown because of a sprained left ankle, and he was not in the starting lineup or rotation when the Heat’s season resumed in August. Leonard logged just 31 total minutes in three games during the Heat’s 21-game playoff run.
Leonard finished his first season with the Heat with regular-season averages of 6.1 points while shooting 50.9 percent from the field and 41.4 percent from three-point range, 5.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 51 games.
BUTLER’S PASSION
Heat star Jimmy Butler was visibly frustrated late in Monday’s overtime loss to the Charlotte Hornets, especially with the team’s defense.
“We have dearly missed that passion,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Tuesday. “And that is one of the aspects of Jimmy that we absolutely love. We want him to be him. He does not have to apologize ever for who he is and how he competes and how that passion comes out. If anything, we need more of it. And I can’t remember us losing a game when he’s been like that, and that passionate.”
After the Heat pulled ahead by 10 points with 3:11 left in regulation on Monday, Charlotte outscored Miami 28-10 over the final three minutes of regulation and the five-minute overtime period to win 129-121.
“It’s not only Jimmy,” Dragic said. “All the guys were emotional, were angry. Jimmy, [Haslem], me, [Iguodala]. When you lose the game like we did last night, it’s tough. We were up 10 points with three minutes left. We just watched the tape. Our offense, we were creating some really good looks. We just couldn’t make shots. But our defense was not there. We do have to give them credit. They made some tough shots. But it’s no excuses, like Jimmy said. I completely agree with him. We should win that game. We just need to be better, especially defensively.”
HERRO EXPLAINS
After Herro revealed Saturday that a person he lives with tested positive for COVID-19, he was cleared to play in Monday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets.
Herro explained why Tuesday.
“It was a false positive that my girlfriend had tested positive, false positive and she tested two negatives,” Herro said. “So we were able to still play because of the false positive. So in hindsight, it was really nothing. It was just a false positive.”
▪ Of guard Kendrick Nunn’s absence from the Heat’s suddenly crowded rotation in Monday’s loss, Spoelstra said: “He’s right there. We are finally at a point in the season where we have to make some tough decisions and that’s not an easy decision for the head coach. Guys just need to continue to stay ready and do whatever is necessary to help us get on track and play more consistently.”
▪ Along with Leonard, the Heat will also be without Harkless (left thigh contusion) and Silva (left hip flexor strain) against the Wizards.
Avery Bradley (right knee contusion), Dragic (right knee soreness), Herro (right knee contusion) and Gabe Vincent (right knee soreness) are probable to play.
This story was originally published February 2, 2021 at 5:57 PM.
