Meyers Leonard, Trail Blazers fail to reach contract extension, per report

The Portland Trail Blazers and big man Meyers Leonard failed to agree on an early contract extension before the Oct. 31 deadline, reports Jason Quick of Comcast Sports Net. Leonard will now become a restricted free agent and have the chance to take offer sheets from other teams next summer.

Leonard, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, should play a huge role with the Trail Blazers in 2015-16 after a major offseason shakeup. The first three years of his career were largely spent backing up LaMarcus Aldridge and whoever was starting at center (usually J.J. Hickson or Robin Lopez). Now Leonard is expected to take on a starting role while Portland tries to rebuild around Damian Lillard and other young players.

"I'm betting on myself," Meyers Leonard said after passing on extension

— Jason Quick (@jwquick) November 3, 2015

Since his college days at Illinois, Leonard has always shown potential thanks to his impressive size (7'1, 245 pounds) and 7'3 wingspan. He's not much of a shot-blocker, however, and needs to learn to take advantage of his physical gifts to be an imposing presence in the paint. Having watched Aldridge and Lopez play a lot in recent years, you'd hope Leonard has learned some tricks he'll pull out in a bigger role.

What Leonard can do is shoot, and considering he's 7'1, that makes him an intriguing player. Even if he's a work-in-progress defensively, Leonard shot 42 percent from deep last season and should add an exciting element to Portland's offense during the upcoming season.

Steady playing time could also be a huge benefit to Leonard in 2015-16 after years of being a bit player. After playing 18 minutes per game as a rookie, Leonard saw a huge dip in minutes as a sophomore before getting back to about 15 minutes a night in 2014-15. He showed off that impressive shooting ability, not only hitting 42 percent from three but also 94 percent from the free throw line. There's a good chance Leonard breaks out in his fourth year as long as his defense holds up.

For the Trail Blazers, who are entering a new era following Aldridge's departure, Leonard's development is going to be a key variable. His unique skills could make him a major asset in today's NBA, he just needs to show he can sustain his shooting (and offer some acceptable defense) in a larger role.

If he reaches his potential this year, he could be in line for a huge pay day in the summer.