Montrezl Harrell avoided a suspension after a physical altercation with the Toronto Raptors, but the Los Angeles Lakers big man was hit hard in his wallet with a $20,000 fine.
However, Lakers guard Dennis Schroder, who Harrell was swooping in to protect, is going to make sure he doesn’t have to pay that money, offering to front the cash for the fine.
“Who got fined? Trezz?” Schroder told reporters on Thursday. “Oh, yeah we’re going to take care of that. He had my back, so we’re going to take care of that for sure.”
Dennis Schroder on Montrezl Harrell’s $20k fine: “We gonna take care of that. He had my back. We gonna take care of that for sure.”
Schroder is making $6 million more than Harrell this season, so he can spare the $20,000 for his on-court bodyguard.
Schroder, Harrell Not Happy With Raptors After Skirmish
Schroder found himself on the floor against the Raptors after getting his legs swept and tossed by OG Anunoby. Harrell hurried in like a bull in a china shop to defend his guy.
“I fouled [Anunoby] but tried to still pick him up. It’s not a dirty play and I didn’t want him to get hurt, and he clearly didn’t get hurt, and I picked him up. And then after that he just shoved me on my back,” Schroder said after the altercation. “With Trezz I would do the same thing for everyone in this locker room. We’re all brothers, family, so after it happened and he got ejected, I went into the locker room during the game and I told him that I appreciate him, and that I would do the same thing for him. So I’m really thankful for that one.”
Harrell was clear that he had no regrets and would do it again if he had to.
“That’s uncalled for, and I’m going to defend my teammates just like I would do any other time, just like the way I would do any other player or if it was to happen over again, man. That’s not the way you do things, man. He literally grabbed his leg and dropped him right on his back,” Harrell said. “It’s wrong, I don’t really think I did anything wrong to be ejected, but it is what it is.”
While the parties pushing on the court avoided a suspension, Raptors guards Fred VanVleet and DeAndre’ Bembry and Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker were suspended one game each without pay for leaving the bench area during the incident.
Lakers Were Not Happy With League’s Decision
The Lakers made it clear that they were not happy with how the situation was handled by the league, with veteran Jared Dudley expressing his point of view on Twitter.
“20k for a light push to get people off his teammate? Come on man. Players get more hurt from Flagrant 1 fouls in a NBA game. That fine is 2500… I know NBA doesn’t want a real fight and I totally understand that but these pushing fines for there version of escalating is crazy.”
Montrezl Harrell
Harrell was more direct, just asking for his money back in an Instagram post, writing: “Yoo NBA. I need my money back!”
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Lakers Guard Sends Strong Message to Montrezl Harrell