Every season since Montrezl Harrell was drafted by the Houston Rockets with the No. 32 overall pick, his numbers have improved, and next season, the 26-year-old big man could see his numbers could get even better as a result of him playing alongside LeBron James.
James is famous for rewarding his teammates who tirelessly work to make themselves available for a pass, and Harrell has made a career out of being in the right place at the right time. That’s not to say he’s strictly a dunker — he’s not, but he also doesn’t mind when his baskets come easy, and there’s no one in the NBA that makes life easier for their teammates on offense than James.
That might explain why Harrell recently told Chris McGee of Spectrum SportsNet that he’s already thought about all of the ways he and James are going to connect on the court:
“Man, I’m envisioning high pick and rolls, baseline plays, all of the lobs, everything man. Like I said, I’m just ready to get going, man. This is a great feeling and I’m just happy to be here.”
Harrell may also end up benefitting from playing with a versatile big man like Anthony Davis. Harrell has played with some talented players in his career, but he’s never played with a dominant, two-way force like Davis — mostly because there’s no one quite like Davis in the league.
Harrell has every reason to be excited about being on the winning team and Lakers fans should be thrilled too: I t’s not too often you get to pair the reigning Sixth Man of the Year with a Defensive Player of the Year candidate and a Most Valuable Player candidate. Next season should be fun.
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