Swarm and Sting
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The Charlotte Hornets could take a look at Montrezl Harrell

By Elijah Edwards

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 28: Montrezl Harrell #5 of the Los Angeles Clippers drives to the basket past PJ Washington #25 of the Charlotte Hornets during the first half of a game at Staples Center on October 28, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 28: Montrezl Harrell #5 of the Los Angeles Clippers drives to the basket past PJ Washington #25 of the Charlotte Hornets during the first half of a game at Staples Center on October 28, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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With all of us patiently awaiting the next move from the NBA, we continue to speculate at any front-office moves the Charlotte Hornets could make. Could that include bringing in Montrezl Harrell?

As we all steam right ahead in a world without live sports, Charlotte Hornets fans wait with bated breath to see what kind of improvements the team can bring in, whether via the NBA Draft or through free agency.

The Hornets are set to have a nice amount of cash to spend this upcoming free agency and there are some names out there that could definitely help right out the gate. The main issue, of course, is: can Charlotte land them?

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Much has been made over the past few months about Charlotte’s lack of an interior on both ends of the floor. Ever since Al Jefferson left, the Hornets haven’t had a large body down low to beat and bang.

They’ve gotten by with Cody Zeller and some added names here, most recently rookie, P.J. Washington, but they’ve lacked a bruiser in the paint and as such, have been near the bottom of the league in rebounding for the past few seasons.

That all could change, though, if they could manage to bring in upcoming free agent, Montrtezl Harrell. Harrell is coming off his fifth season out of the University of Louisville and over that span, has become one of the more underrated players in the league.

He’s kept his head down, put in the work, and as a result, has seen his averages climb every season. His current averages of 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game are both career highs and his shooting percentage of 58%, while not a career-high, is still definitely impressive.

Harrell, a Tarboro, North Carolina native, has become part of a group of players in Los Angeles that have helped the Clippers become one of the top teams in the NBA. Of course, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are the big names there but don’t sleep on Harrell, whose scoring totals are tied for third on the squad.

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So, could the Hornet realistically land him? Should they even try? You always want to try and get better, of course, but the Charlotte Hornets aren’t likely to contend anytime soon. Not to mention Harrell will be looking to get paid quite a bit of money and having been on the Clippers for quite a while, will also look to be on a winning team.

Then, there’s his size, to consider. At 6’7″, Harrell is a little undersized at the power forward position, but we are in the era of small-ball, and his results speak for themselves.

The Hornets do, however, feature two players who might not have the similar bulk of the 240-pound forward but do occupy some of the same space. P.J. and Miles Bridges are already young players developing their games. Another player coming in at the same position might impede their growth.

Then again, if the Hornets could make more frequent smaller lineups work while incorporating the younger guys, perhaps they could entice Harrell to come to Charlotte to play in front of a home crowd and alongside his former college teammate, Terry Rozier.

It’d be an interesting acquisition, that’s for sure, and while not the biggest name out there, his name is one a lot of NBA fans have heard of.

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In the coming months, we’ll all find out what this team will look like going forward. Teams in Charlotte’s situation are likely glued to the draft at this point with NBA free agency taking a backseat, for now. Still, Montrezl Harrell might be a guy worth keeping an eye on.

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