New Orleans Pelicans: 2 Free Agents Chosen by the Readers
Scouting Report. 110. Center. Miami Heat. Meyers Leonard. #0. player. Pick Analysis
Strengths: 3-Point shooting, floor spacing, rebounding
Weaknesses: Shot blocking, consistency, possible salary
Key Statistics: 42.9 percent 3-point shooting on 2.4 attempts per game
How he fits with the Pelicans:
If you’ve never heard of Meyers Leonard you are not alone.
The seven-foot Miami Heat center has never played a full NBA season and before this year had never started more than 12 games in his seven years in the league.
Up until now he is mostly known for being the guy who looked like Justin Bieber on juice:
https://twitter.com/MeyersLeonard/status/586682806933164034
It’s not clear if Leonard’s singing voice is there yet, but he was quietly starting to put together his basketball skills and having one of his best seasons as a pro.
Leonard started 49 games for the Heat prior to the hiatus and was averaging 6.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in 20.1 minutes per game.
Most of Leonard’s numbers are not going to jump out at you, but he does one thing well that teams covet, which is shoot the 3-pointer.
Leonard is a career 39.2 percent shooter from long-range and had raised that number to 42.9 percent this season.
He’s never been a volume shooter, but Leonard profiles as the type of modern, stretch-five that the New Orleans Pelicans need.
With rookie wrecking ball Zion Williamson taking up most of the lane, the Pelicans need bigs who can space the floor.
Leonard has always been able to shoot ever since he was drafted by the Trail Blazers out of the University of Illinois.
When he came into the league, many thought he could be the prototype of the modern day center, but Leonard has never really been able to put it all together.
However, at just 27, Leonard is starting to become that guy and if the New Orleans Pelicans can get him on a good deal, he could be a nice fit for a team looking for floor spacing.
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Leonard was one of the lucky players whose free agency coincided with the 2016 bump in salary cap, so he was vastly overpaid on his current contract.
The question is whether he will be again.
Will his rare combination of size and shooting get him another big contract or will teams look at results and ignore potential?
With every team looking for bigs who can shoot, the seven-foot Bieber might get overpaid again, but if not, he’d be a nice basketball fit for the New Orleans Pelicans.