Montrezl Harrell arrested
Charlotte Hornets’ big man Montrezl Harrell was discovered to have vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana in his car in Richmond, Kentucky on Sunday.
The 28-year-old Harrell was pulled over by a state trooper for tailgating the vehicle in front of him, several news sites reported, citing court documents. The trooper claimed to smell marijuana and, after a search of the vehicle, found three pounds of marijuana in bags inside of a backpack in the backseat.
Harrell did not have an attorney immediately ready to comment on the matter.
Harrell has now been charged with trafficking less than five pounds of marijuana, a crime which could net him up to five years in prison, if convicted. He will appear before the Madison County District Court on July 13.
Harrell was traded to the Washington Wizards last summer in a package that also included Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and a 2021 first-round draft pick for Russell Westbrook and a pair of future second-round picks. His point, assist, and minute averages all increased from his line in LA, but he did not fit the team’s needs, and he was then shipped to Charlotte for Vernon Carey Jr. and Ish Smith.
The 6-foot-7 forward finished the season averaging 11.4 points and 4.9 rebounds for his new team, both low marks since he became a prominent figure after his third professional season.
Harrell broke onto the scene with the Los Angeles Clippers after spending his first two years in Houston. In 2020, he won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award and the NBA Hustle Award.
In 2013, Harrell came off the bench for a national championship-winning Louisville Cardinals team, scoring two points in an 82-76 win over the Michigan Wolverines.
Charlottes’ big man is out of a contract this summer and will enter free agency.
