The NBA has a mess on its hands.
As usual, it has everything to do with politics.
And now one NBA player who stood for the national anthem’s season is over after this suspension.
Miami Heat Center Meyers Leonard was indefinitely suspended after a livestream video of him shouting an anti-Semitic slur while playing video games went public.
Leonard made headlines this past summer when he stood for the national anthem as every other player in the NBA knelt in protest of Donald Trump as well as the death of George Floyd.
Now Meyers season is over.
The Heat traded Meyers to the Oklahoma City Thunder for veteran forward Trevor Ariza.
ESPN Sources: Oklahoma City is finalizing a trade to send Trevor Ariza to the Miami Heat for Meyers Leonard and a 2027 second-round pick. Leonard must still waive his no-trade clause because of the one-year Bird restriction on his deal, which he’s expected to do for Miami.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 17, 2021
But Meyers will never play a game for the Thunder.
Meyers agreed to waive his no trade clause as a show of good faith to the Heat and the Thunder will immediately waive Leonard as this move was only made to facilitate more room under the salary cap for the Thunder.
It’s now clear that Meyers’ suspension is going to last the rest of the season and his future in the NBA is now in doubt as well.
Meyers agreed to the trade in part because he likely thought helping the Heat out would lead to them giving him another chance this summer when his contract is up.
Since Meyers is seven feet tall his height will always work in his favor.
However, Meyers’ ugly comments – as well as the lack of goodwill from standing for the anthem last summer – will work against him.
Sports with Ball will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this ongoing story.
