With the free agency market almost bereft of quality names at this juncture, the Philadelphia 76ers acted with urgency, addressing their frontcourt depth woes by signing free agent center Mo Bamba and re-signing Montrezl Harrell.
The moves gives the Sixers some much-needed assurance behind Joel Embiid, especially with the jury still out on Paul Reed’s fate with the team. Overall, these are Philly’s second and third signings this offseason following their veteran acquisition earlier in the form of Patrick Beverley.
76ers bolster their frontcourt after signing Mo Bamba & Montrezl Harrell
Mo Bamba, fresh off a fleeting stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, will don the Sixers colors to the tune of a one-year, minimum-salary deal. The former sixth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic, at just 25 years of age, should inject an infusion of youth to a team filled with veteran commodities in the frontcourt.
On the flip side, Montrezl Harrell — also signed to a minimum deal — will be staying put in Philly. The former NBA Sixth Man of the Year posted modest numbers last season as Embiid’s backup, and will once again reprise that role as things currently stand.
How do these signings impact the 76ers next season? Let’s zoom in a tad more into how Bamba and Harrell can fit around the team.
Can Mo Bamba move the needle for the 76ers next season?
The idea of Mo Bamba has been perennially much better than the actual Mo Bamba. That being said, you don’t get to mint those lofty ideas in the first place without any justification of the viable variant as to why the young center can be and do so much more on the court than what his numbers dictate so far.
Bamba’s unique physical tools and motor as a seven-footer boast incredible value for a reclamation project like him. One of the very few players in the league who combines shot-blocking prowess with a respectable three-point shot, the 25-year-old can arm the 76ers with a young backup to Joel Embiid who touts a skill set never been seen before off Philly’s bench behind the league MVP.
Intrigue and all however, Bamba is far from a perfect player. His finishing around the rim needs a lot of work. His strength down low can be abysmal against big bruisers. His court awareness on both ends lags behind most players on the court. Oh, and above all, he has a difficult time staying on the floor due to foul trouble.
Nevertheless, for a minimum deal, the Sixers did well snagging Mo Bamba in the market for cheap. While it’s easier to quantify his weaknesses than strengths, he at least gives the team a younger reinforcement in the frontcourt. Consider this a low-risk, high-reward signing.
Grade: A-
Can Montrezl Harrell redeem himself in Year 2 with the 76ers?
Conversely, the Sixers’ other move — which went relatively unnoticed — wasn’t met with the same hospitality. Montrezl Harrell, who was largely a non-factor last season after a lengthy career as one of the league’s best big men off the bench, was perplexingly re-upped by Daryl Morey for another year.
This move comes off as quite the head-scratcher, especially with Paul Reed still available in the market. Instead, the 76ers are seemingly gearing up for the latter’s departure by re-signing Harrell for another go-around despite a once-obvious divorce after the former Sixth Man of the Year declined his player option to pursue free agency.
For all of Harrell’s merits, he is simply not an ideal fit for this Sixers squad. His tremendous per-minute production is inarguable, but the undersized center is a walking concession on the court — especially on the defensive end. Often, he gives up four or more inches to the opposing big man, leaving the team gasping at the middle and negating his efficient, yet severely limited offensive game predicated on his finishing ability.
Harrell’s weaknesses can be suppressed by surrounding him with willing and rangy defenders to help him cover ground. For all intents and purposes, the team doesn’t have an abundance of such, making the 29-year-old a dangling piece for the club. To be blunt, this move appears to be more of the front office settling.
Grade: C-