Getty Los Angeles Lakers center Montrezl Harrell.
Though some questioned how Montrezl Harrell would fit with the Los Angeles Lakers when he first signed, he’s been a strong addition to the team. He’s currently averaging 13.8 points a game, which is fourth-best on the team. He definitely brings a nice bit of scoring off the bench and is hitting almost 63% of his shots.
However, his production has certainly taken a dip compared to recent years. Last season, he averaged 18.6 points a game and won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award. He probably won’t be sniffing that award this season. There’s been no indication that he’s unhappy with his role on the Lakers but he decided to fire off a strange tweet on Tuesday.
Think it’s time I call it quits to everything and everyone!
Based on the comments section of the post, nobody seems to know what he’s referring to. Harrell has posted cryptic messages in the past but this one seems especially ominous. With the trade deadline looming, it’s possible that he’s caught wind that he could be part of a potential move. That said, he hasn’t been linked to any substantial Lakers trade rumors so it’s hard to know for sure.
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The Tweet Probably Doesn’t Mean Much
As previously noted, Harrell is prone to posting cryptic messages. He’s also prone to speaking his mind. In all likelihood, his tweet isn’t actually in reference to anything trade-related.
The second half of the NBA season is about to gear up. Perhaps he’s just making a comment about how he’s going to be somewhat off the grid for the playoff push. It’s impossible to know exactly what he’s thinking but he’s appeared to get along well with his teammates. Anthony Davis and Harrell have taken playful shots at each other ever since he joined the team. There’s no reason to believe he’s not fitting in with the Lakers.
Would Lakers Trade Harrell?
The way trades work in the NBA these days, insiders often get news of a trade before the players involved even do. The fact that Harrell hasn’t been brought up in any Lakers trade rumors yet likely means that he hasn’t been dealt. However, that doesn’t mean he won’t eventually get traded.
The Lakers don’t have a lot of good trade pieces. Harrell might be the most valuable player they could potentially send away. Los Angeles has been linked to P.J. Tucker over the last few weeks. It’s feasible to see the team including Harrell in a trade for Tucker. While Harrell is a far superior offensive player, Tucker is a strong defender. Perhaps the Lakers feel like they need a stout defender more than a scorer. Regardless, it still seems like a long shot the team would move on from Harrell unless they were using him as part of a trade to land a star. He’s fit in well with the team and his defensive struggles will be much less apparent once Davis returns.
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