Lakers sign Harry Giles III to two-way contract looking for more depth at center

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers signed center Harry Giles III to a two-way contract on Saturday.

Giles, 25, averaged 3.4 points and 1.6 rebounds in 16 games for the Brooklyn Nets this season before he was waived on Feb. 8.

The 20th pick in the 2017 draft, Giles has also played for the Sacramento Kings and Portland Trail Blazers in a four-year NBA career. He was a touted high school recruit who played one season at Duke in 2016-17.

Lakers coach Darvin Ham said Giles was signed to create more depth in the frontcourt with reserves Christian Wood (knee) and Colin Castleton (fractured wrist) out.

“He was available, saw the opportunity to have gained a little bit of insurance at that position with a couple of guys out ailing,” Ham said before the Lakers’ home game against the Denver Nuggets. “I feel like he still has a ton of upside. Just need to get with the right program, and we have the coaches to try to help him get better.”

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