Montrezl Harrell’s Presence Caused Change for Paul Reed
Philadelphia 76ers’ third-year veteran Paul Reed had a tough battle throughout the 2021-2022 NBA season. Not only was the center position crowded beyond the Sixers’ starting center Joel Embiid, but Reed had a lot of work to do in terms of winning over his head coach, Doc Rivers.
Aside from the then-rookie Charles Bassey, Reed didn’t rank higher than any other backups on the depth chart throughout the regular season.
With known veterans such as Paul Millsap and DeAndre Jordan in the picture last season, Rivers often went with the seasoned veterans over the former second-round pick.
At a point, Jordan and Millsap’s struggles left Rivers with no choice but to call on Reed. During the final stretch of the 2021-2022 season, Reed convinced Rivers to give him postseason minutes behind Embiid.
In 12 games, Reed averaged 11 minutes on the court in the playoffs. Following a second-round loss against the Miami Heat, Reed believed that he had won over Rivers’ trust. For a while, it seemed the Sixers were comfortable with allowing Reed to win over the backup center position in training camp this fall, but a surprise signing came weeks before camp.
Former Charlotte Hornets center Montrezl Harrell inked a two-year deal with the Sixers. Now, Rivers is reunited with another former player of his, who is sure to be given the nod to play the backup center position when the regular season rolls around.
With Harrell’s presence at training camp this year, the Sixers seem to be experimenting with Reed and having him play some minutes at the power forward position. While Reed joined the Sixers as a suspected small-ball five, he doesn’t feel much different moving down a spot.
“It feels natural,” Reed told reporters on Wednesday, according to Sixers Wire’s Ky Carlin. “It feels a bit different, but defensively, I feel like I’m doing the same types of things I would be doing if I was a five. I’m still playing the same type of role. I just gotta space the floor a little more and run different sets and run different plays, I gotta do different things, but it’s the same for real.”
Is it a permanent position change for Reed? Not quite. According to Rivers, Reed is still spending a lot of time playing at center as well, but they are getting a look at the third-year hybrid playing smaller.
While it seems Reed’s work ethic and progression continue to win Rivers over this offseason, he still has an uphill battle to earn minutes in the team’s rotation. At the center spot, Reed’s competing with Harrell and Charles Bassey.
Regarding the four, the Sixers have Georges Niang, Tobias Harris, and the key signing PJ Tucker, who is expected to switch positions throughout the season.
Regardless of where Reed currently stands on the Sixers’ depth chart, it seems Rivers is giving him a chance to prove his value as a hybrid player and fight for a spot in the rotation.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
