Getty Montrezl Harrell defending against Kawhi Leonard.
While Montrezl Harrell has tried to handle his decision to leave the Los Angeles Clippers with grace, he has taken a number of shots at them. The Lakers big man has been a solid contributor for his new team and appreciates how they play basketball. Harrell appeared to throw some shade at his former team when comparing how the Lakers play to the Clippers.
“It’s really just being able to just play my game and just not being kind of told and sit on, ‘You always got to be this, this or this,’” Harrell said Monday. “It’s kind of been the system I’ve kind of been playing in for a while. It’s got to be threes, layups or let’s get free throws. But that’s not like that over here. They play to the style of everybody’s game and we’re not looking at anybody that, ‘You have to do this, you got to do that,’ man. We play basketball over here. It’s free-flowing game.”
He may not have meant to take a shot at the Clippers but it certainly sounds like he doesn’t like how they played basketball compared to the Lakers. It’s not a surprise that the purple and gold have a better system in place. They won the championship last year while the Clippers didn’t even make it to the Conference Finals. It’s still early in his Lakers tenure but Harrell seems happy with his choice to switch teams.
ALL the latest Los Angeles Lakers news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Lakers newsletter here!
Sign up for the Heavy on Lakers Newsletter!
Harrell Talks Style Choices
One thing that’s been notable about Harrell since his over-the-top style choices. Anthony Davis has already poked fun at his new teammate for all the jewelry he reps. Harrell had a chance to talk about why he has so much jewelry.
“My jewelry is (like) my shoes,” he said. “I don’t really wear too much of the same.”
Harrell is in the right place for flamboyant stylistic choices.
Marc Gasol Dishes on Harrell
Harrell hasn’t played at the same Sixth Man of the Year level he did last season but he’s been really solid for the Lakers. He brings a ton of swagger and energy to the team. Marc Gasol has taken note of how hard Harrell plays.
“I mean, he has energy, but he’s a very talented player,” Gasol said, via The OC Register. “He does things – catching the ball, taking charges, offensive rebounds, finishing around the rim one-on-one. He’s not just an energy guy. He’s very talented as well.”
What Harrell lacks on defense, he mostly makes up for it with his offensive capabilities. He’s a high-volume scorer and leads the Lakers in offensive rebounds with 2.9 a game. Los Angeles has a lot of good defenders on the roster who can pick up Harrell’s slack on that side of the floor. He might not find himself having a huge role late in games, especially in playoff time. However, he’s going to be an important depth piece for the Lakers going forward.
READ NEXT: LeBron James & Unlikely Lakers Teammate Have Formed Best Duo in NBA
Comments
Lakers Veteran Shades Clippers: ‘We Play Basketball Over Here’