The Los Angeles Lakers have struggled with front-court depth lately. While Anthony Davis has been surprisingly healthy, backup centers Christian Wood and Jaxson Hayes have had inconsistent seasons. Now, Wood is dealing with an injury, and so is two-way big man Colin Castleton. That has led the Lakers to look elsewhere for help at center, and according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, they’ve settled on a former top prospect.
The Lakers are reportedly signing Harry Giles, the former top prospect in the high school class of 2016, to a two-way deal. When Giles arrived at Duke for the 2016-17 season, many expected him to compete to be the No. 1 overall pick.
However, a series of knee injuries ultimately led to him sliding all the way to No. 20 overall, and those health issues have thus far ruined what should have been a promising career. Across parts of four seasons, he has played in only 158 NBA games without ever averaging even 15 minutes per appearance.
Still, Giles fits the profile of upside swings that the Lakers like to take. Players like Hayes, Rui Hachimura and Malik Monk fit the model of bringing in talent that hasn’t quite worked out in the NBA for one reason or another and trying to tap into their upside for minimal cost.
Expectations for Giles in Los Angeles will be minimal, especially with Hayes playing well of late. He’ll be an extra body when he’s with the NBA team, but the Lakers have had success with signings like this in the past. Even if it doesn’t mean much this season, it’s a low-risk, high-reward addition for the purple and gold.
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