Miami Heat big man Meyers Leonard has started in 49 of the 51 games he has played in this season, but that doesn’t mean the organization sees him as part of its future.
In fact, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel recently reported that it appears as though Leonard’s time in Miami is running out.
“He entered the bubble as a presumptive starter,” he wrote. “Now there is a sense that the clock is winding down on his Heat tenure. Sometimes outside factors take a good man out of the mix.”
Prior to meaningful games getting underway inside the NBA’s bubble, it was assumed that Leonard would continue to be an important contributor in the Heat’s frontcourt.
Then, just before the first seeding game, it was announced that Jae Crowder had been moved into the starting lineup.
That left Leonard on the outside looking in. He not only lost his starting spot but also his spot in the rotation.
Leonard did not play a minute of meaningful playing time in Orlando, Fla. until this past Wednesday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
His most playing time inside the bubble came against the Indiana Pacers on Friday. He finished the game with nine points and seven rebounds in 29 minutes of playing time.
The 2019-20 season is Leonard’s first in Miami. Earlier this season, reports indicated that the Heat were interested in re-signing the big man. It now seems as though he may be looking for a new NBA home come this offseason.
