Getty Lou Williams #23 and Montrezl Harrell #5 of the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Philadelphia 76ers have had a successful offseason, but there is still one hole on the roster. After years of bringing in an assortment of veterans, there is no set answer on who will be playing behind Joel Embiid moving forward.
Last season, the MVP runner-up played in a career-high 68 games. Since he’s made major strides with his health and conditioning, having “insurance” in the form of a veteran backup is less of a priority.
Heading into this season, young prospects Paul Reed and Charles Bassey will have an opportunity to earn minutes behind the All-Star center. Reed stepped up in a big way last postseason, while Bassey showed good flashes in the G-League. P.J. Tucker will likely be in the mix as a potential small-ball option.
Depending on how things go to start the year, the Sixers could be in the market for a backup big man at some point down the road. Following recent developments, Doc Rivers might have the chance to reunite with a familiar face.
Earlier this summer, Charlotte Hornets big man Montrezl Harrell was arrested after being pulled over with three pounds of marijuana in his car. Originally facing felony charges, reports emerged that it’s been reduced to a misdemeanor.
Free agent forward Montrezl Harrell had felony charges of marijuana trafficking reduced to a misdemeanor possession in a Madison County (KY) Courthouse today. Charge will be expunged from his record after 12 months if Harrell gets in no further legal trouble.
With this change in legal status, the door opens for a possible return. As an unrestricted free agent, Harrell can sign anywhere. It’s also worth noting the former Sixth man of the Year has multiple connections to the Sixers. Harrell started his career with the Houston Rockets and played four seasons under Rivers with the Clippers.
The 28-year-old appeared in 71 games last season and averaged 13.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 2.0 APG off the bench.
Lou Williams Remains a Free Agent
Another current free agent with ties to Rivers and the Sixers is Lou Williams. At 35 years old, the three-time Sixth man of the Year winner has still managed to be a contributing rotation player. Williams played in 56 games for the Atlanta Hawks last season and averaged 6.3 PPG and 1.9 APG while shooting over 36% from beyond the arc.
The Sixers will have most of their guard minutes tied up in James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, and De’Anthony Melton, but signing Williams could still be worth some consideration. He is an experienced vet who is capable of creating his own offense in small samples. On a veteran’s minimum deal, it’d be worth taking a flier on.
While there haven’t been any rumors connecting Williams to the Sixers, fans have already weighed in with their thoughts. They would be more than pleased if this reunion were to go down.
Williams was drafted by the Sixers back in 2005 and spent the first seven years of his career in Philly.
Former Sixers Guard Lands Coaching Job
It’s common for players to migrate to coaching when their careers are over, and one former Sixer is getting his opportunity. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Andre Miller has accepted a position to become the head coach of the G-League team in Grand Rapids.
The Denver Nuggets are finalizing a deal to hire Andre Miller as the new coach of the G League Grand Rapids Gold, sources tell ESPN. Miller played six seasons for Denver during his NBA playing career.
Miller played in 221 games for the Sixers between 2006 and 2009. In that span, he averaged 15.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 6.9 APG.