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Lakers: 3 reasons to keep Montrezl Harrell at the trade deadline

By Cameron Salce

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 20: Montrezl Harrell #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates his basket during the first half against the Miami Heat at Staples Center on February 20, 2021 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 Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 20: Montrezl Harrell #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates his basket during the first half against the Miami Heat at Staples Center on February 20, 2021 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 Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

3. Montrezl Harrell is the biggest scoring threat the Los Angeles Lakers have right now

In two games since LeBron and AD have both been out Harrell has a combined 41 points, the next best Laker is Dennis Schröder with 37. Harrell was the leading scorer in both those games.

This is why they signed both Schröder and Harrell to help lighten the scoring load for Bron and AD and now with them gone they are the two most important players to their offense. Taking that into consideration, the Lakers would have to get back a player in return that could be the focal point of their offense moving forward, and a trade like that is very unlikely this close to the deadline because there are not many players like that on the trading block.

Even before LeBron went down, Harrell has taken on more of a scoring role because the offense’s number one option Davis has been gone for most of the season. In the 15 games since AD’s injury, he has averaged 17.6 points per game as opposed to the 13.2 he was averaging with Davis in the lineup.

He has already proven he can be the Lakers’ leading scorer on a given night without their stars, but now he has to do that while leading them to a victory as well and that has yet to happen. At this point, the Lakers desperately need guys that can score and that can get their own basket and trading away one of their only players that have shown he can do that makes no sense.

Even in the postseason when the game slows down a bit, it would be nice for the Lakers to have someone they call throw the ball to in the post and go get a bucket. Sometimes AD settles for jump shots when he isolated in those situations, so Harrell is a nice option to keep around for an easy basket now and in the future when games will matter more.

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