Blazers' Meyers Leonard: 'I'm betting on myself' after rejecting extension
The Portland Trail Blazers and center Meyers Leonard will not reach an extension on a new contract. As a result, he'll become a restricted free agent next summer.
"I'm betting on myself," the 7-foot-1 Leonard said after passing on a "considerable" extension just before the 11:59 ET deadline Monday night, according to CSN's Jason Quick.
The Blazers are high on the 23-year-old Illinois product, who was selected 11th overall in 2012. He enjoyed a breakout of sorts in last year's playoffs, with a strong performance in a first-round loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Several teams have been quietly rooting that Blazers wouldn't sign sharpshooting center Meyers Leonard to an extension, a source told Yahoo.
— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) November 3, 2015
Leonard will have market interest as a floor-spacing big. He's averaged just under five points and four rebounds in his career with 50.5 percent shooting from the field and 37.7 stroke from deep. He also has a very adorable husky.