The Lakers will acquire front-court depth from a previous top recruit, which they needed.
The depth of the Los Angeles Lakers’ front court has recently been an issue. Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood, the team’s backup centers, have had uneven seasons while Anthony Davis has been remarkably healthy. Both Wood and Colin Castleton, the two-way big man, are now recovering from injuries. The Lakers had to search elsewhere for center-court support as a result, and Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that they finally decided on a previous top prospect.
Harry Giles, a former top prospect in the 2016 high school class, is allegedly signing a two-way contract with the Lakers. Several people anticipated that Giles would contend for the first overall pick when he came at Duke for the 2016–17 year.
But a string of knee problems finally caused him to fall all the way to No. 20 overall, and those health problems have so far destroyed what could have been a bright future for him. He has only appeared in 158 NBA games over the course of four seasons, never even averaging 15 minutes per game.
Nevertheless, Giles matches the Lakers’ penchant for taking unexpected risks. Players such Isaac Hayes, Malik Monk, and Rui Hachimura all fit the mold of bringing in talent that, for whatever reason, hasn’t yet clicked in the NBA and attempting to capitalize on their potential at a low cost.
Giles won’t have high expectations in Los Angeles, especially because Hayes has been playing well lately. Though the Lakers have had success with such deals in the past, he will only be an extra body for the NBA squad. For the purple and gold, it’s a low-risk, high-reward addition, even if it doesn’t mean much this season.
