NEW YORK — Harry Giles III has had a rough go of it during his time in the NBA due to a variety of injuries that have seemingly robbed him of his best form. Giles signed an Exhibit 9 contract with the Brooklyn Nets coming into this season as he tries to regain his ability to contribute to a team.
“Yeah, that’s just the mentality,” Nets star Mikal Bridges said of Giles’ mindset to stay ready for his opportunities after Friday’s 124-97 win over the Washington Wizards. Giles checked into the game for the first time with 4:57 left in the fourth quarter and Brooklyn leading 111-87. In five minutes of court time, Giles put up eight points (4-of-6 shooting from the field, 0-for-1 from three-point land), two rebounds and one block.
“Most guys would sulk, know they’re not playing,” Bridges explained. “His attitude is great every day. You just wouldn’t think he had a bad day and he works so hard, he’s in the gym like working, you know? I feel like I’m one of the last guys leaving the facilities, ’cause I get treatment and all of that stuff and it’s not even close. Like, he’s one of the last guys to leave and always coming to the locker room dripping sweat. Just, I see him out there working hard. Just his energy and his vibe.”
Giles has been relegated to the bench so far this season as he’s appeared in just three of the Nets’ 21 games and those appearances came at the end of blowouts. Even though Giles has played at power forward and center at points of his career, Brooklyn head coach Jacque Vaughn prefers to use him as a center.
With as well as starting center Nic Claxton and backup center Day’Ron Sharpe have been playing this season, Vaughn has said that Giles does not play because of the two centers ahead of him in the rotation. It sounds like Giles will be riding the pine for the time being, but he will be ready if anything happens to Claxton or Sharpe and if either get into foul trouble.
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 9, 2023
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