Report: Al Harrington Will Play In China Next Season
The Washington Wizards have chosen not to offer 16-year veteran forward Al Harrington a player contract for their final roster spot, but according to CSN Washington’s J. Michael Falgoust, Harrington will be taking his talents to Fujian Sturgeons in China this upcoming season,
I wanted to play there next year. You look at some of the signings and stuff like that, so instead of me sitting the bench I just felt, ‘Let me re-invent myself for real.’ My knee feels good. My body feels good. The Chinese situation is where they’re going to need me to score 30 points a night instead of playing 10 minutes, being 1-for-3 on threes and go sit down. It’s an opportunity to go out and play the game the way I want to play at a high level. The CBA isn’t the NBA but it’s high-quality basketball and it’s respectable. It’s a chance to go out and push my body and see what I’ve truly got left.
Harrington averaged 6.6 points and 2.4 rebounds in 34 games for the Wizards last season. He gave them a floor spacing option at the four-slot and an experienced presence in the locker room, although his knee and shoulder injuries did keep him off the floor consistently after his first season. Washington has made some significant changes this summer — losing Trevor Ariza to Houston, replacing him with Paul Pierce, and adding DeJuan Blair and Kris Humphries for front court depth. Harrington added “the writing was on the wall” for him when those signings occurred, but he won’t rule out a possible return to the Wizards when the Fujian Sturgeon season ends in February,
Playing for the Wizards I think we — I mean, they — had a chance to come out of the East. Maybe when I come back from China I can join them for the rest of the season. That’s where I got my fingers crossed, hoping it’ll happen.
Falgoust also mentioned something about Harrington, 34, possibly joining the Wizards coaching staff. At least for now, Al Harrington will be getting ready for his Chinese campaign, testing his physical limits, and looking to just drop numbers while he feels he still can. The Washington Wizards, meanwhile, will look to gear up their new roster for another step towards the Eastern Conference Finals.
