One of the biggest decisions for the Los Angeles Lakers this season involved Montrezl Harrell.
After signing Harrell to a two-year deal last offseason, the Lakers included a player option in the second year of the contract.
Worth $9.7 million, Harrell could either accept or decline the contract. If he accepted, he’d make that amount of money the following year and possibly remain a Laker.
If he opted out, he’d enter free agency as an unrestricted free agent and sign with another team who pursued his signature.
But Harrell didn’t play an important role for the Lakers in the playoffs, which could play a part in his future with the team.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Harrell is opting in:
Lakers center Montezl Harrell is opting into his $9.7M player option for next season, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 29, 2021
Harrell opting in could mean he has agreed to a trade elsewhere.
The Sacramento Kings and Lakers have discussed a deal involving Buddy Hield, Kyle Kuzma and Harrell.
But Wojnarowski and Shams Charania of The Athletic are reporting the Lakers could also send Harrell to the Washington Wizards for Russell Westbrook:
The Lakers and Wizards are discussing a trade that would send Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for Westbrook, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The Lakers' No. 22 pick in the Draft could be in play, too. https://t.co/RQOnlyVnBS
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 29, 2021
The deadline for Harrell’s option was July 31, but it doesn’t seem like he’ll be a Laker for long.
[pickup_prop id=”8635″]
[vertical-gallery id=42338]
[mm-video type=video id=01fbjrjsn9k0ngsntwr8 playlist_id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01eqbvq570kgj8vfs7 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fbjrjsn9k0ngsntwr8/01fbjrjsn9k0ngsntwr8-63b58b39896e7f2c33377231936a2088.jpg]