3. Meyers Leonard – Miami Heat
Meyers Leonard will also be a free agent at the end of the season. He has averaged 20.3 minutes per game this season for Miami after spending the majority of his career in Portland.
Leonard’s expiring contract is valued at just over $11 million per year, and given his decrease in minutes for the Heat, his value should slightly depreciate in the free agent market. If the Wolves were interested, they would likely be able to sign Leonard for no more than $8 to 9 million per year, which would be a great signing in terms of what he could bring to this Wolves team.
Leonard is a versatile big with the ability to play both the 4 and 5, although his role on the Wolves would likely be focused on the 4-spot given the existing roles of Towns and Naz Reid. Leonard is a physical player on both offense and defense, which would be a huge asset to the Wolves.
On offense, Leonard’s physicality would be a huge benefit to both offensive rebounding and paint scoring, especially when KAT stretches beyond the 3-point line. Additionally, Leonard himself has shown he can stretch the floor defensively, shooting 39 percent from beyond the arc for his career.
On the defensive end, Leonard’s physicality would be extremely valuable, as he would be able to help KAT defend more physical bigs, which KAT has historically struggled against. More than anything, Leonard’s physicality would be a strong change of pace on a team that likes to play fast and quick.
For Leonard, the Wolves make a lot of sense. Leonard would likely contend for a starting job at the 4, depending on what type of player Rosas and head coach Ryan Saunders decide they want at that position. Even if Leonard weren’t given a starting role, his physicality and versatility would undoubtedly guarantee him significant minutes in an already-thin frontcourt.
Leonard also has relationships with Jake Layman and associate head coach David Vanterpool from his days in Portland, which could definitely be a pull factor.
Overall, Meyers Leonard offers an affordable option for the Timberwolves to bolster their frontcourt with Finals experience without breaking the bank.
All in all, the 2020 NBA Finals offer the Timberwolves a chance to get an extra look at some players to potentially target this offseason.
While certain players may or may not fit into the Wolves system, there is no doubt that Finals experience is something that every front office should want on their roster if they are looking to compete for championships.