The Houston Rockets were dealt a significant setback on Tuesday, with official word center Clint Capela will be out 4-6 weeks with a fracture in his left fibula. Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reported the Rockets may look to trade for a big man, but they are more likely to rely on their bench to fill the void left by Capela’s absence.
That’s where Montrezl Harrell comes in. He’s averaging 6.4 points and 3.3 rebound per game, over around 13 minutes per contest, while shooting close to 63 percent from the floor and taking over 66 percent of his shots within three feet of the basket. Those aren’t phenomenal numbers in any way, shape or form, but stay with me.
Harrell’s per-36 minute numbers so far this year are as follows: 17.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocked shots and 1.6 assists. He’s probably not going to see quite that kind of playing time now, even in an increased role, but the untapped upside is clear.
Nene is also in the mix to play more in Capela’s place, and maybe get a nominal start here and there, but at 34 years old more minutes may diminish his overall effectiveness. So Harrell is a clear beneficiary of Capela’s absence, unless Houston makes a trade to add a center.
Assuming a short-term boost to around 25 minutes or so per game, Harrell is essentially a two-category contributor (points and rebounds) with a couple blocks and assists sprinkled in per game. That’s more than enough to make him worth adding in deep leagues, with particular priority to owners that will be without Capela.
Montrezl Harrell ESPN Ownership: 1.2 percent
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