Chicago Bulls: 3 free agent targets to improve bench next season
Center. Age: 22. player. 84. 2. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Harry Giles
The former Duke Blue Devils five-star recruit and 6-foot-11 and 240 pound big man Harry Giles proves sometimes that talent and hard work shines through. At one point, it looked like Giles was going to be facing an insurmountable road back from all the knee injuries he’s experienced since his days playing high school hoops and AAU ball.
A limited freshman campaign with Duke didn’t stop the Portland Trail Blazers from picking Giles up with the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft. He was promptly traded from the Trail Blazers on draft night 2017 to the Sacramento Kings along with Justin Jackson for a return of former Gonzaga Bulldogs power forward Zach Collins.
His game is steadily improving in his second season with the Kings. In 38 games played with the Kings this season, Giles averaged 7.0 points per game, 4.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.4 blocks, while shooting 56.0 percent from the field and 76.7 percent from the free-throw line. He registered a -1.1 box plus/minus rating, 0.1 value over replacement player rating, .120 win shares per 48 minutes, 1.4 total win shares, 58.6 true shooting percentage, and a 112 offensive rating/109 defensive rating.
If Giles does wind up hitting the free agent market this offseason, then there’s little to no reason why the Bulls shouldn’t add him as a low-risk, medium-reward option, to the rebuild. There’s also just no way that adding a young and potent center like Giles to the mix is any worse than keeping around Luke Kornet or Cristiano Felicio.