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76ers center Montrezl Harrell undergoes right knee surgery, remains out indefinitely

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Updated3 hours ago on April 26, 2024

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Philadelphia 76ers center Montrezl Harrell undergoes right knee surgery, remains out indefinitely

Philadelphia 76ers center Montrezl Harrell underwent successful surgery Wednesday on his right knee. The 6-foot-7 big man remains out indefinitely. Earlier this month, an MRI revealed that Harrell had torn both his ACL and medial meniscus in his right knee after experiencing swelling following team workouts.

Harrell, 29, declined his $2.7 million player option in June for the 2023-24 season. His player option is part of the two-year, $5.22 million contract he signed with the club last September. In July, he then signed a one-year, $2.89 million contract to remain with Philadelphia. 

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Montrezl Harrell was selected 32nd overall by the Houston Rockets in the 2015 NBA Draft out of the University of Louisville. The North Carolina native played his first two seasons (2015-17) with Houston and next three with the Los Angeles Clippers (2017-20).

Harrell then went on to play for the Los Angeles Lakers (2020-21 season) and spent the 2021-22 season with the Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets.

Philadelphia 76ers center Montrezl Harrell undergoes right knee surgery on ACL and medial meniscus, remains out indefinitely; Harrell signed a one-year, $2.89 million deal with club in July

The eight-year veteran made seven starts in 57 appearances with the 76ers in the 2022-23 regular season. The Louisville product averaged 5.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 11.9 minutes per game. He also shot 59.8% from the floor.

In Philadelphia’s 123-111 win over the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 8, the center scored a season-high 20 points in 24 minutes as a starter. Along with grabbing six boards, Harrell shot 8-of-11 (72.7%) from the field and drained all four of his free throws.

Following the Sixers’ 129-126 win against the Indiana Pacers on Jan. 4, then-76ers head coach Doc Rivers praised Harrell for his 19-point outing in 28 minutes off the bench.


“He was great,” Rivers said. “We talk about being a star in your role every night. He did exactly what his role said he should do. Be the low man on defense. We talked about that all on film because they’re so quick.

“They are gonna beat you off the dribble. If the low man’s not there, they are gonna make layups. I thought Trezl got a charge, four blocks; he was there all night.”

Harrell will serve as a backup to 2023 MVP Joel Embiid, Paul Reed, and Mo Bamba, who also signed a one-year deal with the team in July. However, an ACL tear requires between 6-9 months to fully recover. If the 76ers remain a contender under new head coach Nick Nurse, the center could return in time for the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

Although he will likely return for the second half of the 2023-24 regular season, rushing a serious injury would be foolish. Memphis Grizzlies guard Derrick Rose is the textbook example of how an ACL injury can negatively affect an NBA player’s career.

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