FILE Montrezl Harrell of the Los Angeles Clippers celebrates after a play against the Dallas Mavericks in the second half in game five of the first round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs on August 25, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images/AFP
The Los Angeles Lakers quickly moved on from the reported loss of backup big man Dwight Howard, agreeing to a two-year contract with NBA Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell, ESPN.com reported Friday.
The Athletic also reported that the Lakers were close to a deal with Harrell, a standout with L.A.’s crosstown rivals, the Clippers.
Howard has reportedly agreed to a one-year, $2.6 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Harrell posted career highs with 18.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 27.8 minutes per game in 63 games (two starts) before the interruption of this past season. He didn’t play in any regular-season games after the resumption of play due to the death of his grandmother, after which his production slipped to 10.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 18.7 minutes per game during the playoffs.
Harrell, 26, was a second-round pick by Houston in 2015 and played two seasons with the Rockets before joining the Clippers as part of the June 2017 trade that sent All-Star guard Chris Paul to the Rockets.
Through five seasons, Harrell has averaged 12.7 points and 4.9 rebounds in 318 games (25 starts).
The acquisition of Harrell comes on the heels of the Lakers’ reported trade pickup of guard Dennis Schroder from Oklahoma City. Schroder finished second in last season’s Sixth Man of the Year voting.