Meyers Leonard Out for the Season

#2      

miggytorres

miggytorres
miggytorres
HoustonIllini said:
2nd/3rd shoulder dislocation for the big guy. He was finally starting to fulfill the promise Portland saw in him . . . 8 ppt, 5 rpg up until he got hurt again.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15064344/meyers-leonard-portland-trail-blazers-season-ending-shoulder-surgery?ex_cid=espnapi_public
Click to expand...

What type of minutes and what spot in the rotation did he play this year (first "big" off bench, 2nd, etc.)? I'll admit to not watching many Blazers games.

And did I recall correctly that Meyers was going to "bet on himself" by not accepting a one-year bridge deal early in the season? I wonder what the market is for a 25yo center with his current production and projected upside.
 
#3      

Foggy Notion

Foggy Notion
San Francisco
Foggy Notion
miggytorres said:
What type of minutes and what spot in the rotation did he play this year (first "big" off bench, 2nd, etc.)? I'll admit to not watching many Blazers games.

And did I recall correctly that Meyers was going to "bet on himself" by not accepting a one-year bridge deal early in the season? I wonder what the market is for a 25yo center with his current production and projected upside.
Click to expand...

Every NBA team seems to want a stretch five these days.
 
#4      

westcoastillini

W
westcoastillini
I watched him a few times this season. Great outside shooter, passing improved. He still doesn't have any post moves and for his size and athletic ability he still doesn't rebound very well. He seems to be out of position a lot.

I like what I see but he needs to be more aggressive.
 
#5      

NunnBetter

N
NunnBetter
miggytorres said:
What type of minutes and what spot in the rotation did he play this year (first "big" off bench, 2nd, etc.)?
Click to expand...

Pretty sure he was starting prior to the first shoulder injury and being very productive. Once he returned he was first big off the bench and got roughly 20 min per game +/-.
 
#6      

HoustonIllini

H
Houston, TX
HoustonIllini
From ESPN: Leonard scored 8.4 points and grabbed 5.1 rebounds per game as he averaged 21.9 minutes in 61 games for the Trail Blazers this year. He has established himself as an important member of the Portland rotation. Al-Farouq Aminu, Maurice Harkless and Mason Plumlee could all gain playing time in his absence.

Sounds like while not starting, he's gaining playing time and has become more than just the last guy off the bench.
 
#7      

illiniknight

I
illiniknight
I saw a few of their games. While he did not start he often played more minutes than the starting big men. Portland used a rotation where all of their bigs where averaging around 20 minutes. Leonard was definitely a key rotation player and a consistent contributor.
 
#9      

I Bomb

I Bomb
Stylin' and Profilin'
I Bomb
He was playing quite a bit and playing well. Mostly roams around the top of the key, setting screens and then popping for a 3 if they pass it to him. Agree he doesn't rebound well for his size, although he definitely can rebound. Still seems slow to get moving and seems a little lumbering out there. Portland usually goes with Plumlee if it's a crucial part of the game, but Meyers was playing quite a bit. You can make a career out of setting screens for Lillard :D