MARCH 2: The Lakers announced that they’ve signed Giles and waived Windler (Twitter link).
MARCH 1, 8:30pm: A team source tells ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that Windler will be released to make room for Giles, who will join the Lakers on Monday (Twitter link).
MARCH 1, 7:17pm: Free agent big man Harry Giles is signing a two-way contract with the Lakers, agent Daniel Hazan tells Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (Twitter link).
As Charania observes, the Lakers are a little thin in the frontcourt due to injuries to Christian Wood (knee swelling) and two-way center Colin Castleton (right wrist fracture). Castleton hasn’t been in the rotation as a rookie this season, but it’s possible he may have gotten a chance with Wood out.
L.A. currently has Castleton, Skylar Mays and Dylan Windler on two-way deals. One of them will have to be waived in order to make room on the roster for Giles.
A former first-round pick, Giles returned to the NBA in 2023/24 after missing two full seasons due to knee injuries. He signed a non-guaranteed, minimum-salary contract with the Nets, earning a spot on the team’s regular season roster and then having his full salary guaranteed when he remained on the roster through January 7.
Giles played sparingly in Brooklyn, appearing in 16 games and averaging just 5.1 minutes per night. He posted 3.4 points and 1.6 rebounds per game in his limited role.
The 25-year-old forward/center was a roster casualty last month, with the Nets waiving him to complete a trade before the deadline.
As our glossary entry on two-way contracts shows, in the 2023 CBA, the league and the players’ union agreed to implement what is informally known as the “Harry Giles rule.” Prior to signing with Brooklyn, Giles had been on an NBA roster for four seasons, but missed the entirety of his 2017/18 rookie year due to an injury, so he had only actually played in an NBA regular season game in three separate seasons.
The new rule allows Giles – and any other player who has four years of NBA service but missed one or more of those seasons due to an injury – to sign a two-way contract. That’s how Windler was able to sign two-way deals with the Knicks and Lakers as well.
So is it gonna be Castleton, Windler, or Mays that gets cut? I’d guess Castleton ngl
I think Mays, they’ve shown strong interest in Caseltons potential growth thus far.
I mostly think it’l be Castleton, because they have an open roster spot on the G-League team, so he could just report back there once he’s cut.
It would also be better to keep only healthy guys on the roster if you can help it.
For a guy with no knees, he sure gets around.
Massive pickup for the lakers. Nothing can stop the lake show from winning the title now
now that is funny! their need is a defensive specialist not a 3rd center at the end of the bench.
Opening night 2024-25. Just because Givony put Bronny in 2025 don’t mean Bronny ain’t hitting the league next year.
PG D-Lo
SG Bronny
SF LeBron
PF AD
C Harry Giles
Dylan Windler, a beneficiary of the Harry Giles rule, burned in real life by Harry Giles
LeBron James ……….
40,000 pts …….. 1st time EVER.
This is the lakers karma for not appreciating Christian Wood… Now they need another big.