Lakers News: Ex-LA Big Man Makes Free Agent Decision

NBA free agency has slowed ton a ton, just a week into it all. The majority of main players have signed their deals and are headed to their new franchises. However, this is the time of the offseason where we see trades or random, one-of free agent signings come in. If anyone is signed it's more for depth purposes but these signings are still very valuable. 

One of the better big men that was available is now no longer as Montrez Harrell agreed to re-sign with the Philadelphia 76ers on a one-year deal. The former Laker stays in the City of Brotherly Love where he spent last season.

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Harrell averaged just 5.6 points and 2.8 rebounds for the 76ers last season. He only played in 57 games and averaged 11.9 minutes. His career trajectory has really taken a turn, in part due to his limited shooting ability and him being undersized for a big man. He is listed at six-foot-seven but plays much bigger.

Harrell spent the 2020-2021 season with LA and was a good option for the team off the bench. His fit wasn't perfect by any means and it had him on the bench in most crunch time situations. The lack of shooting really hurt the Lakers because they couldn't space the floor around LeBron James and Anthony Davis and Harrell took up a lot of space under the basket on offense. 

During his one year with the Lakers, he averaged 13.5 points and 6.2 rebounds a game. The former sixth man of the year in 2020 can still provide some energy minutes off the bench for a team and that is exactly what the 76ers will ask of him. 

With the center market being so thin, LA will need to look elsewhere now. The team needs to make one more free agent signing to round out the roster and it will be a big man to give some depth to the position. It remains unknown who or how long it will take but LA will indeed make at least one more signing.

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