Montrezl Harrell thanks the Lakers for his season with them, and opens up a possibility for a departure from LA this off-season.
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By many accounts, Montrezl Harrell was one of those players that were horribly misused by the Lakers this season. After the first month of the season, the 27-year-old started to play fewer and fewer minutes. And by the time Andre Drummond was brought in by the franchise, there were several important games where he didn’t play at all.
In the past, many players have either left a team or at least hinted towards it happening, when their role started to diminish within a roster. And in this case, a large part of the NBA community believes that the former sixth man of the year must do the same. And of course, this has been the gas to the fires of far too many trade rumors ahead of this off-season.
Amidst all this, Montrezl Harrell recently posted a heartfelt message on Instagram. And while many saw it as simply a love letter to Lakers nation, some believe it could be a sign of his incoming departure from the franchise.
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Fans and Insiders alike suspect Montrezl Harrell could become available in the free agency market
Montrezl Harrell isn’t the only Laker that has been in trade rumors this season. Marc Gasol and Dennis Schroder have also visibly been unhappy with their role on the roster. But, neither has as much power as the former Clippers man at the moment.
Harrell is only 27-years-old. Technically speaking, he has only just started to enter his prime. Add to that the fact that he seldom underperformed even in the limited minutes he got with the Lakeshow, and you have yourself a giant market for the player.
Teams like the Charlotte Hornets, Boston Celtics, and the Detroit Pistons have reportedly shown interest. And, as per insiders, they have reason to be even more encouraged after this Instagram post by the player.
View this post on Instagram
The bio is absolutely heartwarming and shows how much love Montrezl Harrell has for the city of Los Angeles. However, we must say, it does indeed suspiciously read like a goodbye letter.
If the player really does want to leave, he has the power to do so. He has a player option in his contract for this off-season. If he decides to take it, he will join the Free-Agency class of 2021. And given the lack of quality small-ball centers available this year, he could be a hot commodity in the NBA.
Still, it’s best not to count the chickens before they hatch. Perhaps this could just be an innocent letter to the fans of the franchise. However, as fans of the sport, we will be keeping our eyes peeled on this situation.