Former Miami Heat big man Meyers Leonard recently gave fans an update about what’s going on in his life through an Instagram post.
Leonard also provided an explanation on why he has not been able to sign with a team yet. He wrote that he is “simply not healthy enough to play.”
He last played in the league in the 2020-21 season. After playing just three games in that campaign, Leonard underwent season-ending shoulder surgery.
During his time off the court, he made a name for himself as a video game streamer. Unfortunately, in one of his Twitch streams, he was heard using an anti-Semitic slur.
The Heat publicly condemned Leonard and banished him from the team. He was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder after the incident. Leonard was subsequently waived, causing him to become a free agent.
Several teams have been affected recently by a surge of positive COVID-19 cases among their players. Leonard could have provided help for some teams, such as the Heat, that are missing key big men.
Prior to his shortened 2020-21 campaign, Leonard averaged 6.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game for Miami in the 2019-20 season. He also showed an ability to stretch the floor, recording a 41.4 percent shooting clip from beyond the arc.
It seems that Leonard is still not healthy enough to make a return to the league. It remains to be seen if Leonard can indeed make a comeback. Heat president Pat Riley said in late November that he believes the former first-round pick will get a second chance in the NBA.