2. Montrezl Harrell — $9.2 million
The highest salary on this list is the second-best bargain for the Los Angeles Lakers — because Montrezl Harrell is the best player on this list. Many expected Harrell to get a decent-sized contract this offseason and instead the Lakers signed him to a mid-level exception two-year contract.
I know, I know, he got torched by Nikola Jokic in the NBA Playoffs and was not great defensively against Boban Marjanovic and the Dallas Mavericks. But look at who we are talking about — a generational passing center that torches almost everyone and a center that is nine inches taller than Harrell.
I am six-foot even. That is the same size differential between me and LeBron James!
Harrell is not a great defender but he was misused as a traditional five off the bench and he should be a much better defensive player when he has shot-blockers like Anthony Davis and Marc Gasol next to him.
Mix a potentially better defensive effort from a player that already is not that bad defensively (he posted a -0.41 D-PIPM last season) with his offensive potential and it is really easy to get excited about Harrell on the Lakers.
I hate to keep making the same point but the Lakers are paying Harrell $6.8 million LESS than the Clippers are paying Marcus Morris this season. The Lakers are playing the reigning Sixth Man of the Year $6.8 million less than the Clippers are paying a stretch forward who has bounced around the league.
However, he still is not the biggest bargain on the roster.