Doc Rivers on Montrezl Harrell: 'When he's ready, he'll come back'

Montrezl Harrell is dealing with the death of his grandmother

The Clippers are missing one of their most important players in the bubble, Montrezl Harrell. 

Harrell left the bubble on July 17 to deal with a family emergency, which has now become the death of his grandmother. Harrell was incredibly close with his grandmother, and is currently spending his time grieving. While the Clippers obviously need him, the team is rightfully giving him all the time he deserves.

“When he’s ready, he’ll come back," Doc Rivers said. "You can’t play if you're not right mentally because of the emotional part of it."

There's no timetable for a return when a matter is this sensitive. It's an incredibly difficult situation that's compounded with the bubble. When Isaiah Thomas' sister passed away in 2017, he still had a chance to grieve with his family before/after the game. With the current climate, Harrell won't be able to see his family at all if he enters the bubble. As a result, Doc Rivers and the Clippers will be waiting with open arms whenever Harrell returns, without any pressure.

"All I told him is I love him and take your time and we’ll be ready with open arms when you come," Doc Rivers said.

While there was always a special brotherhood between NBA players, the bubble provides an even different layer. Anyone who spends 3 months in quarantine together is going to have a very unique relationship. The brotherhood between these players will become stronger than ever, because no one else will experience what they're going through right now.