NBA Rumors: Montrezl Harrell Leaving LA Clippers For Suns In 2020 Free Agency, ‘Bleacher Report’ Predicts
Veteran center/power forward Montrezl Harrell may currently be focused on helping the Los Angeles Clippers win its first NBA championship, but when the 2019-20 season is over, he will need to make a tough decision regarding his future in the league. Harrell is currently playing the final year of his contract with the Clippers and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this fall. Though he looks committed with the Clippers, there is speculation that the 26-year-old big man may consider leaving Los Angeles to start a new journey somewhere else.
According to Martin Fenn of Bleacher Report, one of the teams who could express strong interest in stealing Harrell from the Clippers this fall is the Phoenix Suns. Staying with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the Clippers will undoubtedly give him a legitimate chance of winning multiple NBA titles, but if he wants to be on a team that could give him more minutes and higher usage in a more defined role, Fenn believes that he should strongly consider joining the Suns.
“The Phoenix Suns immediately jump out as an intriguing fit. Granted, signing Harrell would give Phoenix two mostly paint-bound players alongside Deandre Ayton, but envisioning him and Devin Booker running pick-and-roll sets should make Suns fans salivate. Not to mention, Harrell would be a front court upgrade over Dario Saric, and he fits in with the Suns’ young identity quite nicely. Phoenix can create additional cap by stretching and waiving some players on the current roster, and it might want to consider just that if it can bring Harrell aboard.”
The Suns may not contend for the NBA championship anytime soon, but they could give Harrell enough room to develop his overall game. Unlike in Los Angeles where he’s only used as its Sixth Man, Harrell could become a regular starter in Phoenix, serving as a pick-and-roll partner of the face of the Suns’ franchise, Devin Booker. Having more playing time would enable Harrell to unlock his full potential and transform himself from a typical role player into an All-Star caliber big man.
Though his potential arrival wouldn’t turn it into an instant title contender, adding Harrell to its roster would make the Suns a more competitive team in the deep Western Conference next season. Successfully acquiring him in free agency would improve the Suns’ defensive efficiency, which currently ranks No. 18 in the league having allowing 108.7 points per 100 possessions, per ESPN.
