The Montrezl Harrell Signing Exposes Deeper Concern for Sixers

While it has improved the Sixers’ roster for the regular season, the Montrezl Harrell signing exposes deeper concern.

For a moment, it seemed like the Philadelphia 76ers‘ offseason may be over. The additions of De’Anthony Melton, PJ Tucker, and Danuel House provided notable upgrades to the supporting cast surrounding James Harden and Joel Embiid. It was an impressive off-season where the Sixers covered some notable holes as inconsistent bench production has plagued the team for several years.

The lone remaining question was if there would be an upgrade at the backup center position. Andre Drummond had an impressive 49 games with the Sixers last year but had to be included in the trade package with Ben Simmons that landed James Harden in Philly.

Philadelphia picked up DeAndre Jordan to finish the season, but he did not have as positive of an impact. Jordan was ultimately benched in the playoff run in favor of Paul Reed, who provided arguably the best postseason backup center minutes of Embiid’s career.

The addition should not be a surprise as Doc Rivers has made it clear he prefers veterans when constructing his rotations. Going into the season with Reed and Charles Bassey would have left the Sixers a little thin especially considering the track record Embiid has for missing games.

However, fans have itched for each guy to be given a true chance to earn the backup center role. Considering Reed’s impactful playoff stretch and the fact that the critiques he carries are fixable and could be improved with more playing time, the addition of Harrell is especially disappointing for him.

The fact of the matter is Harrell improves the Sixers’ chances of winning this season which makes the signing make sense. However, there is also the chance Daryl Morey gave Rivers enough rope to hang himself in the postseason.

Doc Rivers’ History with Montrezl Harrell

Harrell played under Rivers during the two’s time together with the Los Angeles Clippers. The 28-year-old was named Sixth Man of the Year in the 2019-20 season and played three seasons under Rivers with the Clippers.

Harrell was also initially drafted by Morey with the 32nd overall pick in the 2015 draft and began his career with the Rockets. The big man spent the first two seasons of his career with the Rockets playing alongside Harden, who reportedly played a major part in the decision to bring Harrell in.

The biggest controversy comes from Rivers’ postseason management of his big men with Harrell at the forefront of the criticism. Despite holding a 3-1 series lead against the Nuggets, Denver came roaring back in the 2020 Western Conference Finals.

During the series, Nikola Jokic dominated Harrell during the moments they were both on the floor. In the minutes that Harrell matched up with Jokic, the Clippers had a -27.1 net rating. There were +9.2 in minutes Harrell was on the court with Jokic on the bench. In comparison, the Clippers carried a +8.8 rating in the minutes Ivica Zubac matched up with Jokic and a +25 net rating in the three minutes he was on the court without Jokic.

This disparity was considered a major reason for Rivers’ departure from Los Angeles. The Clippers were frustrated that there was not more time spent developing Zubac during the regular season and the lack of commitment he made in the postseason. Rivers was fired following the 2019-20 season postseason exit following seven seasons with the Clippers.

While Harrell will be a positive regular season asset who can provide bench production, Rivers’ track record of overplaying him in the playoffs is a real concern. The Louisville product is a below-average defender and struggles to move his feet on the perimeter. His 6’7″ height and career averages of 0.6 steals and 0.8 blocks per game do not make him the exact backup center the team has been in search of.

Why this is Different

To get the elephant out of the room, the presence of Embiid drastically alters how Rivers will manage the rotations. In Los Angeles, Rivers’ was balancing two big men who had different arguments for why they deserved more minutes.

Joel Embiid is the unquestioned best player on the Sixers and a top-five player in the NBA. It is clear Harrell will carry a backup role, and his expectations will be revolved around this.

However, the concerns about Harrell’s ability to play in the postseason remain. It is unlikely his foot-speed has gotten much quicker or that his shot-blocking ability has improved. Every weakness is magnified in the postseason, and the veteran has not been one to flourish with the bright lights on him.

The non-Embiid minutes have continued to be the Achilles heel of the Sixers in the postseason, and this could continue to be the case if Harrell is relied on in this role.