Sixers set to sign Montrezl Harrell to shore up backup center spot

The 76ers were consistently devoid of solid options at the backup center spot last season, especially after Andre Drummond was shipped to the Brooklyn Nets in the Ben Simmons/James Harden trade.

While this isn’t typically the most important roster spot on an NBA team, it holds considerable significance for the Sixers given Joel Embiid’s injury history and the team’s construction around his skill set.

» READ MORE: Breaking down the Sixers’ place in the Eastern Conference after an interesting offseason

Their decision to shore up the position Tuesday adds credence to that school of thought. The Sixers sought out a player they trusted in Montrezl Harrell and have agreed to sign him to a two-year, $5.2 million deal, according to an ESPN report.

Harrell, 28, played for Doc Rivers as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers from 2017-20 and is also connected to Sixers president Daryl Morey, who was president of basketball operations with Houston when Harrelll played for the Rockets (2015-17).

Harrell put together the best stretch of basketball in his career under Rivers. After a solid first two seasons with the Rockets, he blossomed into one of the league’s best bench players with the Clippers. During three seasons in Los Angeles, he averaged 15.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. He helped spark an unlikely postseason appearance in 2018-19 and was named sixth man of the year in 2019-20, when he averaged 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds.

Harrell will be attempting to rejuvenate his career after bouncing around with the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, and Charlotte Hornets over the last two seasons.

He also recently faced a felony drug trafficking charge after being arrested with three pounds of marijuana during a Kentucky traffic stop this summer. Harrell, who played college basketball at Louisville, agreed to a plea deal that reduced the charge to a misdemeanor for simple marijuana possession.