Report: Montrezl Harrell Expected to Join LA Clippers in Orlando Next Week
The LA Clippers haven't had their full team available for the NBA restart just yet, but that could all change very soon.
During Thursday's contest between the Clippers and Dallas Mavericks, Yahoo Sports reporter Chris Haynes said Montrezl Harrell is expected to join the team in Orlando soon after his grandmother is buried this weekend.
"I was told she'll be laid to rest on Saturday, and he's expected to fly to Orlando soon after," Haynes said. "Sources say he has been tested daily with negative results, so Harrell could be available for the Clippers next week after a four-day quarantine period."
Obviously this is fantastic news for the Clippers, as Harrell ranks third in scoring for LA with 18.6 per game. He's also the last player on the team that has yet to make his bubble debut, so it looks like LA will be getting its full roster back just in time for the Playoffs.
As essential a piece as Harrell has been for the Clippers this season, the team's other bigs have impressed in his absence. While Joakim Noah has mainly been stuck on the sidelines, Ivica Zubac and JaMychal Green have stepped up in a major way.
Zubac had a career performance in Thursday's 126-111 win over Dallas, going for 21 points (10-of-10 FG, 1-of-2 FT), 15 rebounds and a block in just 24 minutes of action. Per the team, he became the first player in franchise history to record at least 20 points and 15 rebounds in less than 25 minutes.
Green, on the other hand, has been a nightmare for opposing teams to defend on the perimeter. Going into Thursday's game, Green was converting 53.8% of his looks from three-point range in the bubble, and he made both of his attempts from deep against Dallas as well.
It could be a while before Harrell returns to form, as he'll have been out of the bubble for nearly a month by the time he returns. However, given his extremely high motor, it wouldn't come as a surprise if it takes him less time to get his conditioning back up to par with the rest of the team.
A four-day quarantine that begins on Saturday would mean Harrell could be eligible for each of the Clippers' last two seeding games (at Denver, vs. Oklahoma City), but at the very least, it sounds like he'll be good to go once LA begins its title chase.
