Montrezl Harrell has felony charge reduced to misdemeanor
NBA free agent big man Montrezl Harrell had his felony drug trafficking charge reduced to a misdemeanor on Wednesday, as first reported by Chris Haynes of Yahoo.
Yahoo Sources: A felony charge against free agent center Montrezl Harrell on trafficking marijuana has been reduced to possession of marijuana and a misdemeanor, a judge ruled this morning. If he’s in good legal standing for next 12 months, misdemeanor to be removed from record.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) August 31, 2022
As a part of the reduction, the misdemeanor charge will be removed from Harrell’s record should he remain out of legal trouble over the next 12 months.
The incident in question occurred on May 12th in Richmond, Kentucky during a traffic stop. After officers noticed the smell of marijuana in the car, approximately three pounds of marijuana was found in vacuum sealed bags in the car. Harrell’s original charge from the incident was punishable by up to five years in prison.
Now entering his age-29 season, Harrell figures to begin picking up steam as a viable free agent option now that his charges have been reduced. With much of this offseason’s free agent market already having signed, Harrell represents one of the better free agents still available.
For his career, Harrell has posted averages of 12.9 points and 5.3 rebounds on 62% shooting. His arrival in Charlotte last season gave the Hornets a boost, as they went 15-10 in his 25 appearances.
Will Montrezl Harrell return to the Charlotte Hornets?
While Harrell does not have an offensive game outside of the paint and is not an elite-level defender, his energy and hustle make him a valuable commodity. He will likely have little trouble finding a spot with a team ahead of the 2022-23 season, whether in Charlotte or elsewhere.