An exclusive with Meyers Leonard: Farewell, Portland

[A$AP Meyers]

https://www.nbcsports.com/northwest...rs/exclusive-meyers-leonard-farewell-portland

Short article, and an 8 minute video interview with Meyers.

Say what you want about the man, but I am very grateful for the Blazer he was and wish him nothing but the best. It didn’t quite work out with him the way we’d all hoped it would. He had some very low lows as a Blazer, but he was always an excellent teammate and representation of what our team is about. Gonna miss his 3-point pistols, seeing how excited he always got for his teammates, and of course will never forget game 4.

Good luck Meyers.

 

[Drttimmy]

I came to like Meyers as a basketball player in his final two years, but I think I'm going to miss his animated sideline antics and on-court posing the most. Those can't be duplicated.

 

[SIeepwalker]

No more Flameballs

 

[Strenuus]

I remember the person.

Totally forgot he was on the team already. Yay!

 

[LayneStaley]

No Nards....No stupid arguments about Nards. That’s a win in my book.

 

[Cugel]

all the best to Meyers, wish him success in the future

 

[Hey]

Like him or not, he should've been playing a lot more than he did. For a guy as raw as him, he needed real time experience to learn defensive instincts. That was his only real fatal flaw. If he could have been at least average on defense, he would've been worth his contract.

I hope Miami gives him a real shot.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Nards = JO 2.0.

Change my mind.















(PF/C traded by Portland before he reached his prime, whatever that may be.)

 

[BonesJones]

Nards = JO 2.0.

Change my mind.















(PF/C traded by Portland before he reached his prime, whatever that may be.)

Jermaine never had an opportunity in Portland. Meyers has had 7 years of opportunities.

 

[swish3]

Meyers scored 5 consecutive swish3s and 25 points in 16 min (1.56 points/min) in the 1st half of WCF Game 4, which was the first time this season that he attempted 6 shots in one half. And if he had been relied on for 6 more in the 2nd half, we would have won that overtime loss. But Blazer coaches repeated the mistake that was obvious after the 132-105 win over the Jazz in Jan to squander scoring opportunities on less efficient scoring Blazers. If Terry had started Meyers in all 4 of the WCF games, we might have won the WCF. And in the one game in which Meyers attempted 6 swish3s in one half (as I had been advocating all year), he made 83.3% of them!

The refusal to recognize the 45% swish3 shooting of Meyers and the stubborn playing of an injured and sub-par Enes instead cost a chance for an NBA Championship that was rare. Terry did not respect Meyers enough to get the best from the team, and must take some blame for not optimally recognizing talent. Terry should have played Meyers in many more games, and Meyers should have been game planned to take at least twice as many swish3 shots this year as he did to allow us the chance for our Championship. When you have talent scoring at that efficiency and pace, you have to rely on it; having him shoot 6 attempts per half was the logical call. Let's hope that the failures in coaching judgement can be corrected in the future to allow swish3 scoring efficiency of 45+% to be utilized and let's celebrate more wins. I hope we can find another 45% or better swish3 scorer!

 

[BonesJones]

Meyers scored 5 consecutive swish3s and 25 points in 16 min (1.56 points/min) in the 1st half of WCF Game 4, which was the first time this season that he attempted 6 shots in one half. And if he had been relied on for 6 more in the 2nd half, we would have won that overtime loss. But Blazer coaches repeated the mistake that was obvious after the 132-105 win over the Jazz in Jan to squander scoring opportunities on less efficient scoring Blazers. If Terry had started Meyers in all 4 of the WCF games, we might have won the WCF. And in the one game in which Meyers attempted 6 swish3s in one half (as I had been advocating all year), he made 83.3% of them!

The refusal to recognize the 45% swish3 shooting of Meyers and the stubborn playing of an injured and sub-par Enes instead cost a chance for an NBA Championship that was rare. Terry did not respect Meyers enough to get the best from the team, and must take some blame for not optimally recognizing talent. Terry should have played Meyers in many more games, and Meyers should have been game planned to take at least twice as many swish3 shots this year as he did to allow us the chance for our Championship. When you have talent scoring at that efficiency and pace, you have to rely on it; having him shoot 6 attempts per half was the logical call. Let's hope that the failures in coaching judgement can be corrected in the future to allow swish3 scoring efficiency of 45+% to be utilized and let's celebrate more wins. I hope we can find another 45% or better swish3 scorer!

Cant we just appreciate him as a person instead of all this?

We utilized him to our fullest extent in Game 4. We still lost.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Jermaine never had an opportunity in Portland. Meyers has had 7 years of opportunities.

Not.

Swayed.

That part at the bottom in parentheses is where I was making the comparison - that’s all the comparison I can find. I was otherwise being facetious with my post. I hate the, “blah blah blah. Change my mind,” thing....

 

[illmatic99]

(PF/C traded by Portland before he reached his prime, whatever that may be.)

A guy entering year 8 in the league is not "before his prime." Closer to the tail end of his career.

 

[Orion Bailey]

I have a Jersey for sale!


JK. Always liked the guy even if he didnt sprout into what we wanted out of him. Wish him the best. I will wear his Jersey with pride!(until I get another one that is. )

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

That was great. Thanks for posting it.

 

[wizenheimer]

I hate the, “blah blah blah. Change my mind,” thing....

every once in a while, you hear something that has the ring of 'truth' to it. Truth that applies to the human condition

more than three decades ago, Larry McMurtry wrote Lonesome Dove. They made the mini-series a few years later. There's one scene I remember that has that ring of ultimate truth:

Jake Spoon has returned after many years away. Call and Gus are talking about him while leaning on a fence. Call says "that Jake Spoon, he hasn't changed a bit has he". Gus looks and Call and says "that's rich! can you tell me when it was the last time you changed?". Call doesn't answer

what does that have to do with basketball? nothing. What does that have to do with your post? next to nothing but it's the off-season

why did I think of that? how should I know....now I'm thinking about peanut butter and deep cycle batteries

 

[PtldPlatypus]

every once in a while, you hear something that has the ring of 'truth' to it. Truth that applies to the human condition

more than three decades ago, Larry McMurtry wrote Lonesome Dove. They made the mini-series a few years later. There's one scene I remember that has that ring of ultimate truth:

Jake Spoon has returned after many years away. Call and Gus are talking about him while leaning on a fence. Call says "that Jake Spoon, he hasn't changed a bit has he". Gus looks and Call and says "that's rich! can you tell me when it was the last time you changed?". Call doesn't answer

what does that have to do with basketball? nothing. What does that have to do with your post? next to nothing but it's the off-season

why did I think of that? how should I know....now I'm thinking about peanut butter and deep cycle batteries

I didn't realize Bill Walton posted on this board...

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

A guy entering year 8 in the league is not "before his prime." Closer to the tail end of his career.

It was a sarcastic post where if you saw the notes in the parentheses, that was meant as my comparison.

 

[swish3]

Cant we just appreciate him as a person instead of all this?

We utilized him to our fullest extent in Game 4. We still lost.

No. We utilized Meyers well only in the 1st half, and not game planning for 6 swish3 attempts in the 2nd half probably cost us that game. That was my point. Blazer coaches need to recognize and feed the hot hand. Terry failed to do that in this and several games this year, and we would benefit if he can improve.

We certainly can and do appreciate Meyers as a person, and should strive to treat Blazer players with respect and recognition of talent better than this Forum treated Meyers.

 

[Hey]

Cant we just appreciate him as a person instead of all this?

We utilized him to our fullest extent in Game 4. We still lost.

After he got hot, we went away from him. I don't believe it was because the Warriors caught on. It was more like Dame and CJ finally had room to operate with him being hot so they kind of unintentionally forgot about him. Meyers was the reason we were even close to winning that game.

 

[Strenuus]

After he got hot, we went away from him. I don't believe it was because the Warriors caught on. It was more like Dame and CJ finally had room to operate with him being hot so they kind of unintentionally forgot about him. Meyers was the reason we were even close to winning that game.

We still lost.

Best thing in the last 7 years was the day he got off our team. Let another team have the false hope he will ever be consistently good.

 

[Stevenson]

Like him or not, he should've been playing a lot more than he did..

He had many, many chances here.

 

[SIeepwalker]

A guy entering year 8 in the league is not "before his prime." Closer to the tail end of his career.

Meyers prime will be around 40 years old. The ultimate project

 

[AquaXI]

Why couldnt He have been born Leonard Meyers? Then it would all makes sense and his trajectory not in reverse.

 

[swish3]

After he got hot, we went away from him. I don't believe it was because the Warriors caught on. It was more like Dame and CJ finally had room to operate with him being hot so they kind of unintentionally forgot about him. Meyers was the reason we were even close to winning that game.

We self-destructively--not unintentionally--forgot to feed Meyers, and consequently lost the game. We did not utilize Meyers to anything near the optimum, and certainly not the fullest. In WCF Game 4, and incisively in Games 1 and 2, we should have relied on Meyers for 6 swish3 attempts per half, and we could have won the WCF this year. Let's improve Blazer coaching to recognize and feed the hot hand, rather than squandering scoring resources, and improve to challenging for the NBA Championship!

 

[tlongII]

We self-destructively--not unintentionally--forgot to feed Meyers, and consequently lost the game. We did not utilize Meyers to anything near the optimum, and certainly not the fullest. In WCF Game 4, and incisively in Games 1 and 2, we should have relied on Meyers for 6 swish3 attempts per half, and we could have won the WCF this year. Let's improve Blazer coaching to recognize and feed the hot hand, rather than squandering scoring resources, and improve to challenging for the NBA Championship!

Meyers better have a good season this year. Because if he doesn't, you are going to be the subject of severe ridicule.

 

[Binx]

For a guy as raw as him, he needed real time experience to learn defensive instincts.

You don’t learn instincts. You either have them or you don’t. Leonard was a miserable NBA player. He never picked up a single post move in seven years. His game reminded me of Martell Webster, another guy who never seemed to change or adapt his game in any way.

 

[ABM]

https://ripcityproject.com/2019/07/19/looking-fans-attachment-former-portland-trail-blazers/

Why are Portland Trail Blazers fans so encaptured by former Portland Trail Blazers?

It is no secret that the state of Oregon love their Portland Trail Blazers. Since the first year of the franchise in 1970, the team’s championships in 1977, the Clyde Drexlerera Blazers from the early 1990’s, the Jail Blazers, the Brandon Roy/LaMarcus Aldridge teams, and now the time of Damian Lillard, fans have had an almost unconditional love for the organization.

For most fans, the love of players usually extends only to the impactful players. This is not the case in Portland. Everyone, from the first man on the roster to the last, receives an inordinate amount of support from fans, whether they make an tangible impact on the court or not. It is why so many athletes love the city of Portland and the Blazers fanbase.

A clear and recent example of this is the outpouring of support for now former center Meyers Leonard. Previously one of the more infamous players on the team during his seven year tenure in Portland, his trade to Miami brought out an abundance of well wishes from fans. Although I had no problem with the positive regards, I found it interesting that after bashing Leonard to almost an unrivaled degree, some of those same fans seemed the most disappointed to see him go.

As I put a little more thought into this, I realized this is an all too common pattern in Portland. Pat Connaughton was a fringe rotation player for the Blazers, and fans acted like a family member had died when they heard he was not coming back to Portland (only a slight exaggeration). Same goes for players such as Joel Freeland, Will Barton, Patty Mills, and Rudy Fernandez. The list could go on for a while.

Portland has such a deep connection to the Blazers. As the only Big 3 professional sports team in the state, there is not much else for people to pay attention to (sports wise). Because of this, the Blazers become like family. And whether you like them or not, it sucks when family have to go. That is why Portland has such an emotional connection to former players and why they always try to bring them back, whether or not it is a good idea.

Whether you agree with it or not, this is what makes Blazer fans some of the best in the NBA.

 

[blazerfan11]

https://ripcityproject.com/2019/07/19/looking-fans-attachment-former-portland-trail-blazers/

Why are Portland Trail Blazers fans so encaptured by former Portland Trail Blazers?

It is no secret that the state of Oregon love their Portland Trail Blazers. Since the first year of the franchise in 1970, the team’s championships in 1977, the Clyde Drexlerera Blazers from the early 1990’s, the Jail Blazers, the Brandon Roy/LaMarcus Aldridge teams, and now the time of Damian Lillard, fans have had an almost unconditional love for the organization.

For most fans, the love of players usually extends only to the impactful players. This is not the case in Portland. Everyone, from the first man on the roster to the last, receives an inordinate amount of support from fans, whether they make an tangible impact on the court or not. It is why so many athletes love the city of Portland and the Blazers fanbase.

A clear and recent example of this is the outpouring of support for now former center Meyers Leonard. Previously one of the more infamous players on the team during his seven year tenure in Portland, his trade to Miami brought out an abundance of well wishes from fans. Although I had no problem with the positive regards, I found it interesting that after bashing Leonard to almost an unrivaled degree, some of those same fans seemed the most disappointed to see him go.

As I put a little more thought into this, I realized this is an all too common pattern in Portland. Pat Connaughton was a fringe rotation player for the Blazers, and fans acted like a family member had died when they heard he was not coming back to Portland (only a slight exaggeration). Same goes for players such as Joel Freeland, Will Barton, Patty Mills, and Rudy Fernandez. The list could go on for a while.

Portland has such a deep connection to the Blazers. As the only Big 3 professional sports team in the state, there is not much else for people to pay attention to (sports wise). Because of this, the Blazers become like family. And whether you like them or not, it sucks when family have to go. That is why Portland has such an emotional connection to former players and why they always try to bring them back, whether or not it is a good idea.

Whether you agree with it or not, this is what makes Blazer fans some of the best in the NBA.

Good grief , this is something I'll never understand that another person can't understand. THEY'RE NOT THE SAME PEOPLE! THE PEOPLE THAT BOOED MEYERS LEONARD ARE NOT SENDING HIM FLOWERS OR SAD THAT HE'S GONE! THEY ARE HAPPY! Sorry for the caps.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

I wasn't the biggest fan of Meyers Leonard the player but anyone who watches that video has to be a fan of Meyers Leonard the person.