Montrezl Harrell signs one-year deal to rejoin Sixers

The team and Harrell agreed to the deal on July 6. His signing gives the Sixers five players at the center position.

Sixers center Montrezl Harrell averaged 5.6 points and 2.8 rebounds this past season.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

Published Jul. 18, 2023, 4:06 p.m. ET

As expected, Montrezl Harrell signed a one-year, $2.8 million contract on Monday to rejoin the 76ers.

The team and Harrell agreed to the deal on July 6. The reserve center originally declined his player option for the 2023-24 season with the Sixers in June, becoming an unrestricted free agent.

He would have made $2.7 million by picking up the option. So Harrell received a pay increase by opting out and re-signing with the team.

Right now, the Sixers have a crowded center position that includes league MVP Joel Embiid and reserves Paul Reed, Mo Bamba, Filip Petrušev, and Harrell. Reed and Petrušev could also be considered power forwards.

Harrell, 29, came to the organization last summer amid huge expectations. However, he was out of the rotation by season’s end.

The 6-foot-7, 240-pounder averaged 5.6 points and 2.8 rebounds this past season. They were his lowest averages since he produced 3.6 points and 1.7 rebounds as a rookie with the Houston Rockets in the 2015-16 season.

Harrell was third on the depth chart behind Embiid and Reed in training camp. He and Reed split time as Embiid’s backup at the start of the season, with one holding the position until the other struggled and was eventually replaced.

Harrell appeared to have settled into that role by late December. One of his highlights came in the Jan. 4 overtime victory against the Indiana Pacers. He played a season-high 27 minutes, 59 seconds and scored 19 points as the Sixers went to a small-ball starting lineup with P.J. Tucker at center while Embiid was sidelined.

Harrell made his first eight attempts en route to shooting 8-for-9 from the field. His lone miss came on a layup tip with 55.6 seconds remaining in overtime.

Harrell became the first Sixers reserve to post at least 15 points and four blocks in a game since Spencer Hawes in 2012. Harrell was the fourth Sixer to reach those numbers since 1995.

His play was needed while Embiid was sidelined for an extended time. Harrell showed why the Sixers signed him to be an emotional spark off the bench. His energy, endless activity, and level of ferociousness while attacking the basket were unmatched. However, he appeared in only seven of the Sixers’ final 25 games because he was struggling on the defensive end.