‘Clippers did not want me back’: Montrezl Harrell explains why he chose to join rivals LeBron James and the Lakers

In his first official interaction as a Laker, Montrezl Harrell reveals details about why he switched over to the Lakers

The Lakers signed Montrezl Harrell around 3 days ago. This news came as a shock to a lot of people, particularly because of the rivalry between the LA teams. It wasn’t just the fans who were caught off guard, as his own teammates were equally surprised.

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The Los Angeles Lakers won the 2020 Championship, and yet have managed to return with a roster that looks even stronger. They pulled away Harrell from his crumbling relations with the Clippers and did it in a very quiet fashion.

“This is a team that wanted me and the team that was really highly on me”: Montrezl Harrell

In his introductory video with the Lakers, Harrell talked about a lot of things. He spoke about what led him to end up on the other side, his role with the Lakers et al. Montrezl, upon being asked directly about whether the Clippers wanted him, said:

“I mean, that goes without saying — apparently not if I’m on the other side. So it is what it is, really.”

Usually introductory are about looking forwards but Montrezl Harrell spent his first official act as a Laker talking about not being wanted by the Clippers. How this could be a win-win for both teams https://t.co/Ha8DxV0UHj

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) November 24, 2020

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Here is the video of the entire interaction:

Why would the Clippers not want Montrezl Harrell?

There could be several reasons behind the Clippers not wanting Harrell back. One of the biggest ones I can think about is how Montrezl openly mocked Paul George after their embarrassing loss to the Nuggets. Then there is the issue of efficiency on the defensive end of the floor, as we saw in the Bubble.

There were also reports about Kawhi Leonard’s trainer mocking Harrell after their playoff run ended in a disappointment. There are also reports of how Montrezl Harrell might have indirectly cost Doc Rivers his job.

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Whatever is done is done, and hopefully, Harrell has a better time as a Laker, than he did as a Clipper.