The Nets are signing Harry Giles to a contract and, according to SNY’s Ian Begley and Garrett Stepien, Giles picked Brooklyn over two other suitors who had strong interest in the big man. It’s unclear who those two suitors were, but his agent Daniel Hazan of Hazan Sports Management said the Nets showed interest in his client all offseason.
Brooklyn’s persistent interest has been a factor in free agent decisions this summer, with Dennis Smith Jr. also picking the Nets over other offers because the team made him a priority.
Giles, the No. 20 overall pick in the 2017 draft, hasn’t played in the NBA since 2021. Still just 25 years old, he joins a rotation of centers that include Nic Claxton, Day’Ron Sharpe and Noah Clowney.
As SNY points out, and we wrote Friday, Giles is eligible for a two-way deal this season due to a change to the Collective Bargaining Agreement despite the fact that he has four years of NBA service, since he missed a full year to injury. It’s still unclear whether his deal includes Exhibit 10 language, but if it does, Giles could have the deal converted to a two-way contract. Currently, Brooklyn has no spots open on its 15-man standard roster but has one two-way spot available.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Former Sixers assistant Brian Adams is leaving Philadelphia to accept a head coaching job with the Taipei Taishin Mars of Taiwan’s T1 league, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Wojnarowski notes that Adams had a storied history with former Sixers head coach Doc Rivers, with whom he coached for each of the past nine seasons with the Clippers and Sixers. Adams was also the head coach of the Agua Caliente Clippers, L.A.’s G League affiliate, from 2018 to 2020, before he joined Rivers in Philly.
- While the Knicks have just 14 players on standard contracts and room under their hard cap of $172.34MM to add a 15th, Begley doesn’t see New York signing another rotation-level player. Begley writes that prior to the World Cup, Knicks decision-makers wanted Josh Hart to play more of the power forward position next season. While it wouldn’t surprise Begley to see the Knicks add someone who can have a positive impact on team culture (he mentions Taj Gibson and Ryan Arcidiacono), Begley writes New York could look to keep the roster flexible for someone who interests them mid-season.
- The deadline to sign a rookie scale extension is one day before the regular season, or Oct. 24, and Immanuel Quickley is in line for a new deal. Begley writes that he would be surprised if Quickley and New York don’t reach an agreement before opening night. However, Begley notes that if the Knicks sign Quickley to an extension, it would make the Sixth Man of the Year runner-up difficult to trade in 2023/24 due to the poison pill provision. If the former Kentucky guard and New York don’t agree to a deal this year, he’ll reach restricted free agency in 2024.
Josh Hart was getting exploited in the 1st half by Montenegro yesterday morning by their big forwards, specifically Simonovic. I expect that will happen on a regular basis if NYK try to play him more at the 4 this season
Randle will basically play 34 minutes a night at the 4. The issue is that they got rid of Toppin, who wasn’t getting enough minutes anyway and didn’t replace him.
Hart is good at pushing transition and him in a small ball line up that runs lot is interesting but sooner or later the Knicks will make a move. They should have asked Indy for Jalen Smith in the trade.
Harts been a great lineup switch for Ingram who has looked terrible. While Montenegro was a bad matchup for Hart at the 4 tomorrows game is even worse…Interested to see how Kerr will counter
I love love love this current team but its got some blindspots; especially if Ingram cant occupy the Tatum/KD at the 4 role to the best of his own abilities that they were kinda counting on
Going small for Knicks is always an option. Considering the depth we have. Knicks were 2nd in the league in team rebounding. With Mitch back there no one is getting abused.
Quickley is getting moved. I hope it’s soon. Cause if we sign him. Then we can’t trade him till deadline.
I wouldn’t have minded signing Giles. But I like what I saw of Roby. If he can give us 16-18 mins. We’ll be fine.
Giles could be a huge move for the Nets… If he can stay healthy…
He just needs a few months of consistent playing time to see if he can grow on the court..