The Philadelphia 76ers are in the midst of a huge offseason. They have a lot of moves to make in order to maximize this window of opportunity with Joel Embiid. They now have another roster spot open as Montrezl Harrell, after one season with the Sixers, is deciding to go elsewhere.
Harrell is declining his player option for next season, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report. The 29-year-old big man's option was worth slightly less than the veteran minimum.
In 57 games last season, Harrell averaged 5.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per game, each of which is his lowest mark since his rookie season. The former Sixth Man of the Year award winner started out the season as the Sixers' backup center but fell out of the rotation due to his shortcomings on defense. Paul Reed usurped his role midseason and never looked back, leaving Harrell deep on the bench.
Montrezl Harrell signed with the Sixers late last offseason to serve as a sparkplug off the bench and reunite with James Harden and head coach Doc Rivers. He provided a strong dosage of energy and got along very well with Embiid, as the two were often seen pumping each other up before games.
But after playing 50 games before the All-Star break, Harrell appeared in just nine games after that points. Most of those minutes came in garbage time and meaningless games at the end of the regular season. His most memorable moment with the Sixers was likely when he and Giannis Antetokounmpo got into a heated argument after Antetokounmpo shoved the ladder away from a Wells Fargo Center worker after a game.
With Reed fully established as the Sixers' backup center — he will be a restricted free agent this summer but is expected to stay with Philly — Harrell is moving on to see if he can crack another team's rotation. Although his defense and rebounding abilities are not great, the eight-year NBA veteran still offers a little bit of juice as a roller in the offense that can finish at the rim or make kick-out passes. His days as a high-usage backup are over but he can still be solid in the right situation.
Danuel House Jr. opted into his player option with the Sixers while Harden, whose deadline is next week, is expected to decline his and pursue a multi-year deal. Harrell's decision gets Philly off the hook for a few million dollars and gives them a bit more flexibility with their roster.
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