The Kings officially announced today that big man Harry Giles, one of several rookies on the roster, won’t make his NBA debut until at least January, and possibly later. As James Ham of NBC Sports California details, Giles hasn’t suffered a setback, but Sacramento wants to be cautions with the prospect’s surgically repaired knees.
Although he’s just 19 years old, Giles has an extensive injury history, having torn his left ACL, MCL, and meniscus back in 2013. The young center also tore the ACL in his right knee in 2015, and then underwent a cleanup procedure on his left knee while at Duke last season.
Despite his knee injuries, Giles is viewed as a prospect with significant potential, and likely would’ve been a top-10 pick back in June if teams were more confident about his long-term health. The Kings, who were armed with three first-round picks, selected De’Aaron Fox and Justin Jackson before snagging Giles, so they could afford to gamble on the former Blue Devil’s upside at No. 20.
With Zach Randolph, Kosta Koufos, Willie Cauley-Stein, Skal Labissiere, and Georgios Papagiannis among the other bigs expected to vie for minutes in Sacramento’s frontcourt rotation, the team is willing to be patient with Giles, believing the cautious approach is in his best interests for the long term.
“It’s a plan that started over the summer of bringing him along slowly with the medical staff,” Kings head coach Dave Joerger said on NBC Sports California’s podcast, per Ham. “Our staff is terrific and with his history, what he’s been through and what we’re able to do. Everyone wants to go as fast as they can, but when you look at the longer scope of his career and as a valuable asset of our organization what’s best for 10 years than what’s best for six months. I think the long-term view far outweighs the short-term view.”
While he waits to make his NBA debut, Giles will continue to practice with the team, allowing the coaching staff and training staff to monitor his progress in a controlled environment.
He was so reliant on athleticism his whole high school career it’s hard to see him being a productive player. Hopefully he works on his skill and does well though