NBA Rumors: Meyers Leonard Ready For Any Role, Ponders Free Agency Chances

Meyers Leonard is one of many free agents this NBA offseason and the 7-footer is likely to get some interest.

However, the 28-year-old knows that his next stop is unlikely to net a lucrative deal with his stock dipping with the Miami Heat in the last NBA Finals.

Regardless, all Leonard wants now is to join a team where he could be of use. At his height, there is no question that the 11th pick of the 2012 NBA Draft will have takers.

However, he will need to lower his expectations. This means Leonard is unlikely to get a good deal similar to the one he had with the Portland Trail Blazers. That was worth roughly $41 million.

Aware of that reality, Leonard is more concerned about joining the right NBA team and hopefully landing with a playoff-bound team.

Still riding high on the Heat’s NBA Final’s showing, Leonard is hoping to get another chance and with a bigger role, the Sun-Sentinel reported.

“Whether it’s starting or coming off the bench, I’m thinking 20 to 25 minutes. I feel that I’ve shown people, no question about it, that I can be impactful on both sides of the ball every single night, and that I certainly do bring value,” Leonard said.

A return to South Beach is possible, but the chances of seeing that happen are not looking that swell. After being acquired by Miami last year, the numbers of Leonard do not stand out.

In 51 games, the 7-foot player averaged 6.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per Spotrac. He hardly saw action in the NBA Finals, only getting that chance when Bam Adebayo got injured.

For the Heat, pundits feel it would be safer to bring back their free agents for next season, CBS Sports reported.

Aside from Leonard, Miami owns the Bird Rights to other Heat players. This means they can match offers for as long as it is within their cap.

Other cagers under this include Jae Crowder, Derrick Jones Jr., Goran Dragic and Solomon Hill.

There is a chance that not all may be returning if the Heat are to match offers. Hence, it all depends on the money involved and assessing the value of that particular player.

Assuming that the Heat does not bring Leonard back, he could be a fit for other teams. Among the plausible landing spots include the Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets or the Dallas Mavericks.

But as far as starting for any of these clubs, Leonard may have to work his way up the ladder before obtaining his spot in any team's frontline unit.