Report: Montrezl Harrell leaving Clippers to sign two-year deal with Lakers

Free agent PF Montrezl Harrell has agreed to a two-year deal with the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday night. The reigning 6th Man of the Year would be leaving their cross-town rival Los Angeles Clippers to sign with the Lake Show. This would be a MASSIVE swing in the Western Conference if it gets done.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania was the first to report that a deal was close. This is pretty nuts. Woj also adds that the deal includes an option for the second year. The deal is worth $19 million-plus, per Woj. The Lakers use their mid-level exception to fit in Harrell. So this appears to be a play by Harrell to join the Lakers and win a championship. The departure of Doc Rivers may have had something to do with Harrell’s decision to leave the Clippers. It also could have something to do with those chemistry issues we always heard about.

Anyway, what’s done is done and the Lakers get a huge advantage over the Clippers. So how does Harrell fit into the Lakers rotation? We’ll probably see coach Frank Vogel use Harrell similar to last season, when he averaged over 18 points per game off the bench for the Clips. Harrell would come off the bench with the second unit, but finish most games and play crunch time. This could mean the Lakers go with a big lineup that features Dennis Schroder, LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Harrell, along with possibly Kentavious Caldwell-Pope if he decides to re-sign.

This might be the most talented roster LeBron James will ever play on. You can make an argument that the Heatles — James with Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and Ray Allen was better. You can probably make a case for some of those later Cavaliers teams with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. I think when it’s said and done, James with Davis, Harrell and Schroder will top those teams as far as LeBron is concerned. It’s scary for the rest of the NBA. Does this mean some teams will even bother trying to compete? Just kidding, of course they will, this is the pros.

Right now on DraftKings Sportsbook, the Lakers are the favorite to win it all at +300. They have been the favorite since the 2020 NBA Finals ended. Championship odds are tricky because the NBA is pretty competitive. But when you come off a title and then add two of the best 6th men in the League the past couple of years, it’s hard to find a reason why the Lakers shouldn’t repeat this season. Unless something catastrophic happens, Los Angeles is well-positioned to start another three-peat.