NBA news and rumors 2016: Blazers' Meyers Leonard Out for Season after Shoulder Surgery
Meyers Leonard suffered a dislocated shoulder that, according to the team, will need surgery, forcing him to miss the remaining games of the season. The Portland Trail Blazers center got the injury during a team practice, while the decision to go under the knife was made after the 24-year old visited a prominent orthopaedic clinic in Los Angeles.
According to a report from NBA.com, Leonard is scheduled for surgery on April 8, which accordingly will be performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the same doctor who currently is monitoring New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis' left knee issues.
The backup big man hasn't played since March 16, the same day he suffered the injury for the second time this season. Back in November, he missed seven games because of the same problem and opting for surgery made perfect sense for him as a player since he's going to be a free agent after this season.
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While there certainly will be a lot of interest from other teams this summer, Leonard previously talked about his desire to return to Portland, where he slowly has gained the trust of the coaching staff. Before going down, he's been producing decent numbers for a backup, posting 8.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He also is very efficient in the minutes he's on the court, shooting 45% from the field. But his greatest contributions to the team are his defensive presence and the ability to spread the defense by being an outside threat. He took some time to practice his three-point shooting last summer, eventually paying off this season.
The fourth-year big man is playing in the final year of the rookie contract he signed in 2012, back when the Blazers selected him 11th overall in the draft. He was offered a contract extension before the start of the season but he surprisingly turned it down. He is scheduled to become a restricted free agent.
