The Meyers Leonard conundrum is complicated enough to make any Portland Trail Blazer fan happy they aren’t Neil Olshey.
Leonard has the height and shooting ability to make him a threat to score wherever he is on the court. The problem: That potential never materialized into tangible results long enough to say he is the long-term answer at power forward.
If Maurice Harkless and Allen Crabbe played their way into a nice payday, Leonard did the opposite.
He is 24, 7’1”, shot 52 percent from two-point range and 37 percent from three this season.
In the beginning of his career, Portland tried to make Leonard a traditional power forward. He doesn’t have the bulk to bang down low with the likes of LaMarcus Aldridge, Zach Randolph, Pau Gasol, or Demarcus Cousins.
Do the Blazers need a 7’1” liability on defense who hangs around the three-point line? His average shot distance is 18 feet.
For reference the three point line is 22 feet.
Strengths:
*Athletic
*Good shot blocker
*Solid rebounder
*Knows how to score in the post
Weaknesses:
*Had some consistency issues
*Has to get stronger
NBA projection:
Leonard’s dramatic improvement from his freshman season to his sophomore season caught the attention of NBA scouts. He’s been projected as a mid first-round pick. Leonard’s game will evolve further in the NBA because he’ll have all the time he needs to work on his game. He’s got the tools to be a solid contributor.
How long can you wait on potential? Leonard is hitting free agency for the first time in his career. He has career averages of 5.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game with little to no blocks. He averages 2.4 fouls per 16.6 minutes for his career. I wish I counted the amount of times I heard Mike Rice and Mike Barrett say, “Meyers Leonard needs to learn to go straight up in the air on defense.”
Most of his assets just don’t translate to the NBA for a 7’1” power forward-center tweener. Sure he can run, but he can’t put on weight and has been at 245-250 his entire career. He gets bullied in the post by bigger guys then fouls them, and then with faster players, he reaches and fouls them some more.
In college, his shot blocking was an asset, but that hasn’t materialized in the pros against bigger, stronger and more athletic competition.
His weaknesses that were there four years ago haven’t changed. Leonard still needs to get stronger, and still needs to be more consistent if he wants to see his playing time increase.
The real positive of Leonard’s game is that he stretches the floor. He creates space so Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum have space to create shots for themselves or their teammates. Leonard takes his guy out to the three-point line, but Harkless does the same thing (maybe not at the same percentage as Leonard), and he showed he can do it in the playoffs when the pressure is on. His defense, rebounding, and shot making in the playoffs were a big part of the run the Blazers made.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzTo4kYgafY
I believe if most Blazers fans were given the choice between Harkless and Leonard, they would pick Harkless.
Also, the Blazers have one reclamation project at power forward, and he goes by the name of Noah Vonleh. He is a more traditional power forward in the NBA playing more in the post. Vonleh will be 21 when the season starts again. He is younger and has two more years left on his contract.
Portland doesn’t need two projects at power forward next season.
To put it plainly, Leonard’s time in Portland was underwhelming and the Blazers and Leonard need to move on from each other.
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