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Don’t expect the Chicago Bulls or any other team to sign Montrezl Harrell soon. The talented but troubled former NBA Sixth Man of the Year is dealing with some legal issues stemming from a felony drug charge after being pulled over with 30 pounds of marijuana.
Recently, an Eastern Conference executive weighed in on the chances Harrell would land in Chicago, where the Bulls could use his toughness. It didn’t sound promising as the word “toxic” stemmed from the drug charge and how he left the relationship with the Los Angeles Lakers after he was traded to the Washington Wizards in 2021.
Montrezl Harrell’s Baggage May Scare Teams Away
Speaking exclusively to Heavy, the executive said this about Harrell’s situation.
“The feeling is now that he’s toxic until his case gets settled. He’s made the case that he did not really do anything wrong and had a minor infraction [in relation to the drug arrest], which might very well be true. No one really cares about the weed thing; the league does not come down on that as long as it is just a possession thing. His case got pushed back, so we’ll have to wait and see. And you know what he can do on the floor, he can give you that punch in the middle off the bench. With everything that has gone on, someone is going to wind up with him for the minimum when things get settled, and that is a good deal, really. But no one will go in for him while all that is hanging out there.”
Does he fit with the Bulls, and are they one of the teams that could land him assuming his legal situation is resolved?
“Chicago needs a rim protector, they need some toughness, and they normally shy away from guys who get into even a little off-court trouble,” the exec said. “So that’s three strikes against him. With Drummond there, hard to see them pushing for him.”
Harrell won the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2019-20 while with the Los Angeles Clippers. He has averaged 12.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game for his career. However, in his best season with the Clips, Harrell produced 18.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per contest.
At 6’7″, Harrell isn’t much of a shot blocker, which is evidenced by his 0.8 blocks per game during his six-year career. However, his toughness on both ends of the floor is something the Bulls and other NBA teams may covet.
Only not at the expense of a potential public relations or availability issue while Harrell goes through the legal system. Also, Harrell didn’t leave the Lakers on the best of terms, so there are concerns about how he could affect a team’s chemistry.
Is Justin Lewis the Plan for Patrick Williams’ Backup?
Chicago also needs someone capable of playing the power forward position off the bench.
The Bulls could lean on undrafted rookie free agent Justin Lewis to back up Patrick Williams. Lewis showed some serious flashes during the summer league, and there is every indication he has a realistic opportunity to make the Bulls’ main roster at some point this season.
Lewis looks like a player who will offer the kind of defensive and positional versatility Chicago is looking to have next season.
He was signed as a two-way player, and the Bulls may elect to keep him in that role for as long as possible to allow him to develop. However, if he shows he can compete on an NBA level and help the team win games in the regular season and, hopefully, the playoffs, Lewis could find himself as a part of the rotation.
In summer league play, Lewis averaged 7.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in 22.5 minutes of action in 5 contests.
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