Pat Riley thinks Meyers Leonard will get a 2nd chance in the NBA

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Former Miami Heat big man Meyers Leonard is currently without a home in the NBA.

The former first-round pick was heard using an anti-Semitic slur during a video game live stream in March of 2021. Shortly after he was heard using the slur, the Heat moved on from him.

He was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder then waived him, and he’s currently a free agent.

In the aftermath of the live stream incident, Leonard has spent a lot of time trying to better himself. His efforts seem to be getting noticed, as Heat president Pat Riley recently said that he expects Leonard will “play basketball again.”

“He’s going to play basketball again,” Riley told TMZ. “He will.”

Riley didn’t say whether or not he envisions that happening with the Heat, but Leonard has made it very clear that he would love to return to Miami.

Fans might have mixed emotions about that idea. Only time will tell if that becomes a real possibility.

Leonard has nine years of NBA experience under his belt. He has career averages of 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per contest. He’s a lifetime 48.2 percent shooter from the field and 39.0 percent shooter from deep.

He’s only 29 years old, so if he were to return to the NBA, he’d probably have a chance to stick around for a while.

It’ll be interesting to see if the Heat end up rolling the dice on him. Miami boasts an 11-6 record this season and seems like a legit contender in the Eastern Conference.

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Jason has covered the NBA for multiple years and has plenty of memories involving the Miami Heat. He expects there will be winning basketball in South Florida for years to come.