THE the Los Angeles Lakers have struggled with field depth lately. While Anthony Davis has been surprisingly healthy, backup centers Christian Bois And Jaxson Hayes have had inconsistent seasons. Now, Wood is dealing with an injury, as is the two-way big man. Colin Castleton. This led the Lakers to look elsewhere for help at center, and according to Athletic’s Shams Charaniathey opted for a former top prospect.
The Lakers have reportedly signed Harry Gilles, 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 become the No. 1 overall pick.
However, a series of knee injuries eventually caused him to slide all the way to 20th overall, and those health issues have thus far ruined what should have been a promising career. Over four seasons, he only played 158 NBA matches without ever averaging even 15 minutes per appearance.
Still, Giles fits the profile of upward swings that the Lakers like to take. Players like Hayes, Rui Hachimura And Monk Malik adapting to the model of bringing in talent that hasn’t really worked out in the NBA for one reason or another and trying to exploit their potential at minimal cost.
Expectations for Giles in Los Angeles will be minimal, especially with Hayes playing well lately. He will be an additional body when he is with the NBA team, but the Lakers have had success with signings like this in the past. While it doesn’t mean much this season, it’s a low-risk, high-reward addition for the purple and gold.
