Detroit Pistons: Can Josh Harrellson Be More Than Just Roster Filler?
By Phil Watson
The Detroit Pistons last week signed free-agent big man Josh Harrellson to a two-year contract at the league minimum, with the first year partially guaranteed and the second being a team option.
Josh Harrellson played in just six games last season for the Miami Heat. (NBA.com photo)
Harrellson was only a starter for one year at Kentucky, averaging 7.6 points and 8.7 rebounds in 28.5 minutes a game as a senior in 2010-11.
He was a second-round pick of the New Orleans Hornets in the 2011 draft and was traded on draft night to the New York Knicks in a straight cash deal.
He got a little bit of run with the Knicks as a rookie, playing in 37 games and starting four of them while averaging 4.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in 14.6 minutes of playing time. He shot 42.3 percent from the floor and 33.9 percent from 3-point range.
In July 2012, Harrellson was part of a sign-and-trade deal that sent Marcus Camby to the Knicks from the Houston Rockets, along with Toney Douglas and a pair of future second-round picks. But he never made it to training camp with the Rockets, who waived him in August.
The Miami Heat picked him up last September, waived him in January at the deadline for contracts to be guaranteed for the year and then brought him back on a 10-day contract before letting him walk on Jan. 19.
He only played in six games for the Heat, scoring 10 points and getting seven rebounds in 31 minutes.
Harrellson wound up playing two months in Puerto Rico and two more in China, where he won league MVP honors after averaging 22 points and 18 rebounds per game.
That got him invited back to the U.S. this summer, where he worked out for the Los Angeles Lakers. The San Antonio Spurs, Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings also made inquiries.
Harrellson wound up with Detroit, he said, because they moved first and because he liked what he saw of the organization two years ago in a predraft workout.
“I’ve liked the Pistons ever since I came in for a predraft workout,” Harrellson told NBA.com. “We’ve always had a good connection. They’ve always liked me and now that I was a free agent and they could get their hands on me and they’ve got room, I’m looking forward to it. I came here and worked out and I don’t know what happened (with other teams) after that. From top to bottom, I like everybody here. I’m comfortable and I told my agent to work it out with Detroit and this is where I want to be.”
Harrellson says his stint in China helped restore some lost confidence and insisted he didn’t do it against stiffs, citing players such as Hassan Whiteside, Craig Smith and Hilton Armstrong as opponents there.
At 6’10”, Harrellson might be a bit undersized for a center, but at 275 pounds, he has the bulk to hold his own under the boards. Harrellson played sparingly his first two years at Kentucky after transferring from Southwestern Illinois College, as he was playing behind future NBA first-round picks DeMarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton and Patrick Patterson.
In 2010-11, Harrellson stepped up after Enes Kanter was declared ineligible by the NCAA and helped the Wildcats to the Final Four.
One thing Harrellson has in his favor over other bigs on the Detroit roster is his ability to shoot from deep. Neither Greg Monroe nor Andre Drummond is a threat to stretch the floor and Harrellson could provide that change of pace as a backup to either of the projected starters up front.
“Nothing is set right now,” Harrellson said. “We’ve got a new coach coming in. I know he’s going to start Greg and Andre. They’re both great big men; they’ve both got a bright future. I don’t know who’s going to be the backup center. Greg could stay at the 4 or he can stay at the 5 and I could play the 4. I can shoot. I can stretch the floor.
“Who knows right now? I think there’s the possibility for minutes for anybody. It doesn’t matter who you are. I’m going to show them what I can do and I’m going to work hard every day and then it’s in the coach’s hands.”
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