The fallout continues for NBA big man Meyers Leonard following his suspension for using an anti-Semitic slur.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are releasing the nine-year veteran, according to NBA insider Shams Charania, only about a week after acquiring him in a trade with the Miami Heat.
The move comes as little surprise, with Leonard slated for free agency and being sidelined for the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury.
The Heat sent Leonard to OKC in exchange for Trevor Ariza and a swap of second-round draft picks. Ariza had sat out the entirety of the season after declining to join the Thunder, but has since suited up for the Heat.
Leonard was suspended a week and fined $50,000 for calling an opponent the K-word on the livestream gaming platform Twitch, where he was reported to have some 69,000 followers. The 29-year-old apologized for the incident, and said he didn't know the meaning of the word.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the league accepted Leonard's apology at face value, and noted Leonard had been in contact with leaders from the Anti-Defamation League about educating himself on the history of the word and its role in propagating anti-Semitism.
New England Patriots star Julian Edelman, who is Jewish, invited Leonard to reach out to him about learning about Jewish history. Edelman responded similarly last year, when then-Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson made anti-Semitic remarks on social media.
Leonard quickly lost his gaming sponsorships over the slur, and the Heat, who are owned by Israeli-American businessman Micky Arison, also decided to move on. Miami had re-signed Leonard last offseason, after acquiring him in the 4-team megadeal involving Jimmy Butler in July 2019.
Leonard, who was drafted by the Trail Blazers and spent his first seven seasons in Portland, apparently had a big fan in team president Pat Riley, who touted him as a consummate teammate and underrated reserve center.
“It’s good to have him back,” Riley said in November. “He is a prototypical center, a very good one. Meyers is strong on the interior of our defense and sets screens as well as anyone in the league to get our shooters and drivers open. He also shoots over 40 percent from three-point range. He is one of the most positive attitude players we have in the locker room. A real team guy. We expect him to have a great season.”
After the incident, though, team leader Udonis Haslem said Leonard's mistake couldn't be tolerated. A few days later, he was sent to the Thunder.