LA Clippers 2019-2020 player profiles: Montrezl Harrell will flirt with stardom

LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 19: Montrezl Harrell #5 of the LA Clippers reacts against the Indiana Pacers on March 19, 2019 at STAPLES Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

He may have surprised a lot of people last season, but in 2019-20, look for Montrezl Harrell to be one of the breakout stars of the year.

The 2018-19 campaign was nothing short of amazing for Montrezl Harrell. Once just a young piece added into the Chris Paul trade, Harrell quickly became an integral piece for the LA Clippers and one of the best contractual values in the entire league.

Signed for only $6 million a year for two years, Harrell entered the 2018 season with the goal of winning Most Improved Player in the league. No, he didn’t achieve that, but he finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting, something none of us expected.

To Clippers’ fans, Harrell already is a star. The rest of the NBA world wasn’t paying attention though. Only when the team made the playoffs did people start to take notice. Harrell’s season averages of 16.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.3 blocks in the regular season were impressive in their own right, but he really upped his game in the postseason against the Warriors.

Harrell put up 18.3 points on 73% shooting while still grabbing 5.5 rebounds and dishing out 2.2 assists. Keep in mind, he played 26.3 minutes per game in the Clip’s lone playoff series, most of the time defended by one of the NBA’s best defenders in Draymond Green.

His play last season landed him a deal with And One and surely will have his own custom shoe at some point. While Harrell started to gain attention, the 2019-2020 season is where he should really shine. It’s no secret that the Clippers will become one of the most watched teams this season due to the acquisition of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. This just means more national exposure for Harrell, who I’m sure will capture the hearts of fans all over the league.

Harrell should rise to the occasion. He has been hard at work this summer (more on that later) and is the ultimate energy guy. He’ll still have his pick-and-roll buddy in Lou Williams too, so the duo should be just as, if not more, potent as last season.

So, let’s get into it and take a look at what to expect out of Trezz this season.