Meyers Leonard is averaging 3.3 points and 2.3 rebounds per game this season.
The Miami Heat are apparently parting ways with big man Meyers Leonard, sending him and a future second-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Trevor Ariza. The news was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and confirmed by several others.
Wojnarowski reports that once the deal goes through, the Thunder are not expected to keep Leonard in the fold. The trade could be made official as soon as later today.
Once the trade is completed, there’s no expectation that Leonard would be a part of the Thunder moving forward. Deal is expected to be completed today. https://t.co/OXW3dyYiUZ
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 17, 2021
The Thunder have traded Trevor Ariza to the Miami Heat for Meyers Leonard and a draft pick, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Leonard is signing his trade consent and the trade will go through.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 17, 2021
Meyers Leonard has signed off on the trade, source tells AP. He needed to do so before it could be finalized.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) March 17, 2021
On March 9, the Heat said Leonard would be away from the team indefinitely, sharply criticizing his use of an anti-Semitic slur while playing a video game that was being livestreamed. Two days later, Leonard was fined $50,000 and suspended from team activities for one week by the NBA.
Marc Stein of The New York Times reports that once Ariza makes his way to Miami, shedding Leonard’s salary will help Miami be a stronger contender in the market for San Antonio Spurs big man LaMarcus Aldridge. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich announced last week the team and Aldridge have mutually agreed to work on opportunities elsewhere.
After completing its trade for Trevor Ariza, Miami is expected to remain in contention for LaMarcus Aldridge in the buyout market — provided San Antonio is unable to construct an Aldridge trade by March 25, league sources say
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) March 17, 2021
Ariza was acquired by the Thunder in the offseason as a part of the three-team trade between OKC, Detroit and Dallas. However, Ariza has not played a game this season and last was in an NBA game on March 10, 2020 as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers. He opted out of the restart bubble with the Blazers and has not played in an NBA game in more than a year.
Leonard apologized for using the term, insisting he did not know what it meant when he used it Monday. The Heat learned of the matter Tuesday, and Leonard’s future with the team is now in serious doubt.
“The Miami Heat vehemently condemns the use of any form of hate speech,” the team statement said. “The words used by Meyers Leonard were wrong and we will not tolerate hateful language from anyone associated with our franchise. To hear it from a Miami Heat player is especially disappointing and hurtful to all those who work here, as well as the larger South Florida, Miami Heat and NBA communities.”
The team also said it will cooperate with the NBA’s investigation.
Leonard acknowledged that he used the term Monday while streaming. In his apology, posted on social media, he said “my ignorance about its history and how offensive it is to the Jewish community is absolutely not an excuse and I was just wrong.”
The video began circulating widely on social media Tuesday afternoon and the fallout was almost immediate, first with online criticism and then sharp rebukes by the league, the Heat and even other organizations.
“Unacceptable. Totally unacceptable,” Washington coach Scott Brooks said. Brooks added that he believes the NBA “will do the right thing and address it.”
That seems quite possible. The NBA said it was “in the process of gathering more information.”
“The NBA unequivocally condemns all forms of hate speech,” league spokesman Mike Bass said.
Leonard, a 7-foot center in his ninth NBA season, sustained a season-ending shoulder injury in January and appeared in only three games for the Heat this year. He could become a free agent this summer; the Heat hold a team option on him for next season worth about $10 million.
This is the second time in recent months that Leonard has been at the center of a controversy.
Most players and coaches chose to kneel last summer for the playing of the U.S. and Canadian national anthems when the NBA season resumed inside a bubble at Walt Disney World in Central Florida. Leonard stood instead, his hand over his heart, and did so with the support of Heat teammates.
“I am a compassionate human being and I truly love all people,” Leonard told The Associated Press at that time.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.