Ex-Lakers, Clippers Center Looking for NBA Return

Harrell was drafted in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets, where he spent a couple of seasons refining his game before leaving for the LA Clippers.

Once there, Harrell blossomed into one of the best backup centers in the league and gained enough traction to join a LeBron James-led Los Angeles Lakers squad fresh off its 17th title — a move he said was, in part, impacted by a series of altercations with Paul George.

"The Clippers didn't even offer me," he explained. "I got into it with Paul George in the bubble ... I got into it with the superstar guy, and at that point in time — I’m up for a contract — I’m the more expendable guy."

Looking for greener grass "across the street" with the Lakers, Harrell fell flat along with the rest of the team. He still doesn't believe it should have.

"I was doing that s***," Harrell said, "and the only thing that f***ed it up that year was that 'Bron got hurt. That was the year he hurt his groin ... if 'Bron didn’t get hurt right there, we got something to talk about."

Since leaving Los Angeles, Harrell has played for three different franchises in short stints. He was initially sent by the Lakers to the Washington Wizards as part of a deal that netted Russell Westbrook before being shipped to the Charlotte Hornets in a subsequent move.

After that, Harrell signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. After one season, it was him who was injured.

"My injury was my knee — my ACL and my meniscus," Harrell said. "It was basically to the point where (the 76ers) wrote me off. I don’t have any control over that."

Harrell was waived by Philadelphia ahead of training camp and hasn't returned to the NBA since; he recently signed with the BIG3 in hopes of an eventual league return.

But even if it doesn't happen, he's happy where he is.

"At the end of the day, I’m (going to) play for the love of basketball," Harrell said. "I know I still have a lot of years left on my body and (more) to give to this game, but at the same time I’m not about to go out and ... be underappreciated."