The Miami Heat’s run to the Finals in Orlando was somewhat unexpected for many. They didn’t quite have the cache or the exposure that teams like the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks enjoyed. But the Heat had it where it counted the most when it come down to the pressure-cooker playoff battles.
And if it wasn’t for a rash of ill-timed injuries, you can bet everyone on that roster believed that they were capable of toppling the Lakers and bringing home the title. Going into the offseason, however, it wasn’t clear exactly what things would look like moving forward, out side of their core group, but Goran Dragic quickly added some stability on Friday when he become the first free agent to announce his return to Miami when the moratorium period opened.
Not long after, forward Meyers Leonard likewise announced that he was returning to the Heat on similar deal reportedly worth $20 million over two years, with a team option for the second year.
The Meyers Leonard two-year deal with Miami is worth nearly $20M, @caa_sports agents Aaron Mintz and Dave Spahn tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 20, 2020
Meyers Leonard tells The Associated Press that he intends to re-sign with the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat. Source tells AP it is a two-year deal, the second year being a team option.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) November 20, 2020
Leonard quickly became a fixture in the Orlando Bubble, going viral after posting several admittedly impressive videos of himself shotgunning beers during downtime at the Disney World resort.
Leonard fell out of the rotation for the Heat during the Finals, but he was a solid contributor off the bench for Miami during the regular season, and the front office clearly believes there is value in bringing him back. At the very least, this gives the Heat a $9 million contract that could be used in potential trades as they look for another superstar.