League suspension has benefited recovery for Heat's Meyers Leonard

Miami Heat forward Meyers Leonard nearing 100 percent after foot injury

Miami Heat forward Meyers Leonard has at least one benefit from the NBA season being halted due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Leonard, who hasn't played since early February because of a foot injury, has had ample time to recuperate so he is healthy when the season resumes.

"I'm feeling much, much better," Leonard said during a recent Instagram interview. "Obviously, I had an injury there right before the season was suspended. And it was bad. I think most people were aware of that."

Leonard, who is in his first season in Miami after being traded from Portland for Hassan Whiteside last summer, played all 49 games before sustaining the injury Feb. 3 against the Philadelphia 76ers. He missed 16 straight games before the league suspended play March 11. NBA commissioner Adam Silver is expected to revist the situation at the end of the month. Regardless of the outcome, Leonard will have had at least three months to recover and is expected ready if a solution is found. There has been talk of canceling the remainder of the season and starting the playoffs sometime during the summer.

The Heat, who were the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, would face the Indiana Pacers in the first round.

"I’m always incredibly, incredibly focused and I take a very professional approach," Leonard said. "So I guess if there’s a silver lining for Meyers Leonard, I’ve had more time to rehab and the rehab’s been very good.”

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