SEPTEMBER 13: Harrell’s contract is official, the Sixers announced in a press release.
SEPTEMBER 6: Free agent big man Montrezl Harrell has agreed to sign a two-year contract with the Sixers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the second year will be a player option.
While Wojnarowski doesn’t specify the terms of the agreement, Philadelphia has already used its full mid-level exception and bi-annual exception to sign P.J. Tucker and Danuel House, respectively, and doesn’t have a ton of breathing room below the hard cap. As such, it seems safe to assume Harrell’s deal will be worth the veteran’s minimum.
A minimum-salary contract would pay Harrell $2,463,490 in 2022/23, with a $2,760,026 player option for ’23/24.
Harrell’s deal with the Sixers comes less than a week after word broke that the felony drug trafficking charge he had faced in Kentucky was reduced to a misdemeanor possession charge. If the 28-year-old remains in good legal standing for the next 12 months, the misdemeanor charge will be removed from his record.
Harrell was initially charged after police found three pounds of marijuana in his vehicle during a traffic stop in Richmond, Ky. His legal situation appeared to affect his free agent market, as it took more than two months for him to find a new NBA home after he spent last season in Washington and Charlotte.
A seven-year veteran, Harrell appeared in 71 total games for the Wizards and Hornets in 2021/22, averaging 13.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 2.0 APG on 64.5% shooting in 23.1 minutes per contest. He’s just two years removed from winning a Sixth Man of the Year award with the Clippers in 2020.
Harrell will provide the 76ers with some reliable depth at the five behind perennial MVP candidate Joel Embiid, who has battled a series of injuries over the course of his career. Veterans like Dwight Howard, Andre Drummond, and DeAndre Jordan had filled that role within the last couple seasons, but none are still under contract with the team, leaving youngsters Paul Reed and Charles Bassey as the top candidates to back up Embiid.
With Harrell under contract, it’s no longer a lock that both Reed and Bassey will make the 15-man regular season roster. Assuming Harrell’s contract is fully guaranteed, Philadelphia will have 13 players on guaranteed deals, with Trevelin Queen, Isaiah Joe, Reed, and Bassey on partially guaranteed or non-guaranteed contracts. The team will have to trade or release at least two players before opening night.
Following the signing of Harrell, the Sixers will be just $766K below the hard cap, but they should get some extra relief if and when they waive players who don’t have guaranteed salaries, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
Guessing a trade is coming to ship out two or three guys for one guy. Not sure what they can really do trade wise, but you never know.
Huge signing here for the Sixers I wonder if he will be suspended or reprimanded in any fashion
I’m thinking that would have come out before he signed with the Sixers or before he started looking for a job.
@ Michael Drake:
For what?
Gray move for sixers. Adds depth to 2nd unit, and can play big mins when Embiid needs to rest.
I would describe it more as Burnt Orange.
Definitely red & black.. link to m.youtube.com
Wow and just like that it is no longer a felony. Who says $$$ can’t buy happiness
There’s no way a grown man should be arrested for weed in 2022. I can’t throw a rock without breaking a window at at weed store in my neighborhood.
Some neighborhoods are still different enough to ask: Are three pounds of weed for your own personal use tonight?
No one needs three pounds around here because it’s legal. Which is the point I am trying to make.
Marijuana usage has over taken cigarette usage in this country. Grow up
I am stoned AF right now as a matter of fact.
Literally smoking rn
me, 3! speaking of 3, nothing wrong w/owning 3 pounds. hes obviously going to share
We can just not follow the laws we don’t like? It’s still illegal where he was.
@lionel If you’re talking to me I said nothing like that. I said no one should be arrested for weed. I didn’t say “we can not follow the laws we don’t like”
Nice job moving those goalposts though
@ Lionel:
And he paid the price for his mistake of being in that state in a car that contained the weed.
Actually, yes, it’s called freedom and being an INDEPENDENT thinker. Rules and laws were made by man, for man. Being a God, means rules don’t apply to me. I.make.my.own and follow my.own, and you are free to do the same
Privilege. You or I probably wouldn’t be extended that same consideration since anything over 8 ounces is a felony even if for personal use.
The man wasn’t driving the vehicle, nor was the backpack containing gods herb his my friend.
He is gonna help on the floor no doubt, he should be able to get minutes.
But, he’s been sitting on the shelf for a reason. Classic all star below the shoulders type.
I really hope they cut Bassey so he can find his way to Atl. Youngster has starter potential. Great move for Philly tho. Harrell is a dog just like PJ Tucker & they been missing that ever since Jimmy left. Their last Finals team (01) was full of guys like that
Agree, like this for Sixers really like bassey also think he has much more potential than reed.
Dog that don’t like to play D
Im skeptical, he’s had a problem at every stop and its “never his fault”
Liked Drummond better for Phi
Ofc Drummond is better. Trez is clearly a beast tho. He’s not a great defensive player but that’s not from lack of effort at all. Him & Harden gonna be extremely difficult to stop tho. They alr showed what they could do back together in Houston
What’s strange about Harrell that I never realized until he was a Laker is how tiny he is in the shoulders and chest . Has more of a Dad bod than pro Nba player
So your effort critique might be correct, he just doesn’t have anywhere near the strength to play at the 4/5 . I agree he’s got some game but with the lack of strength on D and no ability to shoot beyond 10 ft he’s really somewhat of a unicorn in todays game. I give him props for making it work but he’s really fighting uphill in every manner just to claim his spot in the league
Far from a unicorn. There’s guys on every team like Trez, he’s just a better scorer than most. Defensively he much closer to average than awful like you’re projecting him out to be lol. A guy I just watched this morning, Alpo Sengun is very similar. Sengun actually a good deal worse defensively than Trez but like Trez he’s very talented offensively. Onyeka Okongwu is longer than those guys & more athletic but he’s similar size & is doing #s. Brandon Clarke, Precious Achiuwa & others are more or less similar guys. Shooting is obv an important skill for all players but a guy like Trez who has great hands & is near unstoppable with the ball in the paint has shown & proven time & time again why he has a place in the league
Clarke is a freak athlete, he can jump through the roof. Agreed on the rest.
He’s similar size, not a shooter
Still disagree on the D, it was absolutely unplayable in La –
Every coach he’s ever had has had to shield him on defense – He’s 100% targeted by other teams as well as soon as he enters the game. He’s a small dude gets pushed around around down low all the time. Props on the engine but he’s got the frame of a Nissan Altima
Clippers or Lakers? He was far from unplayable with LAC. Definitely wasn’t unplayable with LAL either. He reminds me most of someone like Boozer defensively. Physical limitations prevent him from ever being even close to great but he’s athletic enough & smart enough & strong enough to hold his own most of the time. There are definitely worse defensive bigs in the league
Athletic, smart, yes 100%
Strong, still a hard No. By NBA standards he’s a push over for opponents for his position
I like the guy for the reg season, his energy is beneficial over the hard grueling NBA schedule to the team and it’s fans. Might also net a couple wins which helps end season
But come playoffs he’s a DNP candidate pending matchup solely b/c of his Defense. Vogel ( a def coach) never let him see the floor playoffs until the game/series was in hand with the Lakers, he was a mere afterthought even on a team down AD
No there aren’t.
The Clips didn’t even make Trez an offer, right after he won 6MOTY. He hasn’t stuck with any team since. The reason is that he is a poor teammate and locker room cancer.
@ Sank:
Trez is a much better scorer though.
If you’re making millions of dollars playing ball…Wtf are you doing riding around with 3 packs? Trying to make 3-4 hundred dollars? Lol
It’s called smoking, bro.
Three pounds is not that much weed if your spreading it around to friends and family.
In the past I would say he’s getting special treatment as a basketball player but violent criminals do t even get jail time now or even have to wait for trial.. kill someone or attempt murder and you are out same day.. just yesterday attempted murder on Republican running for gov of New York and same day he gets out.. pathetic
He has some use but I really though they would go back to Howard
Like the move a lot. Cheap deal, no risk. Hes the backup 5 or starting if either Embiid or Tobias is out a game.
Embiid – Harrell – Bassey
Tobias – Niang – Bball
PJ – Tysse – Furkan
Harden – House – Joe – Springer – Brown
Maxey – Melton – Shake – Queen
So I think one of Bassey and BBall is gone. Furkan for sure for matching. And probably Springer because he looks too far away from being a year away. If they somehow keep Tysse I’d be shocked.
I’d try to get Markkanen tbh. Or still go for a scorer like Clarkson. Oubre if hes available. Barton maybe. You need a wing bucket getter on the second unit. That isnt complete trash on D.
I agree but I don’t think we can salty match much. Korkmaz is 5mil and then out of those young guys Springer is like 2/3mil, Joe 2mil and Bassey 1.5mil
I’d try keep Tyrese unless it’s for someone who will actually make a difference cause if we are planning on a long playoff run he’s someone will actually use with his elite defence.
So I think Markeneen would be to expensive as would Clarkson. Oubre could be a good shout, as is Barton but I’m sure those respective teams would like to keep those guys.
A guy you didn’t mention which could be an option is Terrance Ross. Really good bench scoring option, athleticism, shooting and can play SG or SF, defence isn’t terrible last I checked but I don’t watch the Magic. He seems on the outer and they could have interest in some of our young guys
I think Ross is washed and just on a bad team. Would have looked at him a year ago, and been disappointed with what he produced this year. Shooting %s going in the wrong direction.
Good signing by Philly. Hopefully he is moving forward with his life.
Good signing. He sure does have to make improvements from the behavior/public image standpoint. But he plays good basketball. I like his game. PHI fans will surely appreciate his passion on the floor.
Surprised he would return to Doc Rivers, who took a full year to figure out he could do more than just rebound, after he had been in the league a couple of years before he even got on his team to begin with…
What does this mean for Paul Reed? I didnt think they needed more help at the backup big spot
It would be so Doc Rivers to replace Paul Reed with Harrell.
Great signing. Sixers were missing one more front court player
Trezz reunited to his lover Doc
Did Harden start recruiting after he found out he had a lot of weed…..to share….
Good move and heaps our bench a bunch.
Maxey Harden Tucker Harris Embiid
Melton Thybulle House Niang Harrell
Joe Queen Kokrmaz Reed Bassey
Really good looking squad
Not to be to optimistic but I hoping for the 4th spot in the east
That will never happen.
As for roster cuts or trades.
I wouldn’t mind us using Korkmaz money paired with a young guys such as Joe or Bassey for someone.
Some ideas:
1.
Korkmaz and Bassey for Rudy Gay
2.
Lakers: Cam Reddish
Sixers: Nunn and Brown Jr
Knicks: Korkmaz and Bassey
3.
Korkmaz, Springer and Bassey for Daniel Theis
4.
Korkmaz and Joe for Corey Joseph
5.
Springer, Bassey and a second for AJ Griffin
Korkmaz to Celtics
Good signing. He had the best EPM of any of the unsigned FA veterans.
Would have been a good pick up for the Celtics. But he don’t fit Stevens agenda
Stevens doesn’t like bigs who don’t play any D?
There’s a reason that Trez is with his fifth team in four years… he is a bad teammate with a very limited game.
He was playing well with Washington last season and then he and the whole team fell apart. Wonder what happened there
This guy wouldn’t of played 5 minutes a game in the 90s. A 6’7 center lol. What a joke. This isn’t Wes unsled out there