4 Harry Giles III PF

Giles posted two points (1-3 FG, 0-1 3Pt,), five rebounds and two steals across 11 minutes in Thursday's 111-87 loss to the Pacers.

The loss of Jusuf Nurkic (wrist) leaves two healthy centers on Portland's roster. Enes Kanter will be the starter moving forward, but Giles will lead the charge with the second unit. At 6-foot-11, Giles is really the only player besides Kanter who can play the position. Players like Carmelo Anthony and Robert Covington would put the Trail Blazers into a size mismatch on a nightly basis. Nurkic managers who missed out on Kanter should probably consider picking him up, especially in deeper leagues where quality big men are scarce.

Coach Terry Stotts praised Giles' start to the preseason Monday, but he noted that it may be difficult to find a consistent role for him during the regular season, Blazers reporter Casey Holdahl reports.

Giles has been the clear standout from the Blazers' first two preseason games, and Stotts recognized his efforts following Sunday's 19-point, 13-rebound, three-assist, two-steal effort. "I've been really pleased with the way (Giles) has played, there's no question," Stotts said. "Both games he's scoring the ball well, he's rebounding the ball well, he's playing with a lot of energy, so that's been very encouraging." However, Stotts went on to acknowledge that the Blazers already have a clear starter at center in Jusuf Nurkic, while Enes Kanter, Carmelo Anthony and Zach Collins will all play significant roles in the frontcourt. "I think it's a little early to be talking about minutes and rotations," Stotts said. "But I really like who we have playing in those positions right now. It'll play itself out, but I really like the way Harry is playing. I think he's impressing some people."

Harry Giles ended with 18 points (8-13 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 2-4 FT), 14 rebounds, three steals, two blocks and one assist in 25 minutes during Friday's 127-102 preseason victory over Sacramento.

Giles made the most of his opportunities Friday, coming off the bench to lead the Trail Blazers with 18 points. He added 14 rebounds and five defensive stats in what could potentially be his best line of the season. Jusuf Nurkic (COVID-19 protocol) was not in action and so Giles shifted up in the rotation behind Enes Kanter. While it appears Kanter has the backup role locked down, there is certainly a case for Giles to be given a shot at minutes. Kanter's fantasy ceiling is somewhat limited which does open the door for Giles, even if only slightly.

Giles signed a one-year contract with the Trail Blazers on Sunday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

The Kings declined the 22-year-old's team option for 2020-21 last year, so he hit free agency after the shortened season. Giles averaged 6.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 14.5 minutes for Sacramento last season, and he'll provide frontcourt depth behind Jusuf Nurkic for his new team.

Giles had 23 points (9-11 FG, 0-1 3PT, 5-6 FT) and eight rebounds in Sunday's loss to Orlando.

With the game out of reach early in the second half, Giles had an opportunity for extended playing time after seeing just four minutes in Friday's opener against San Antonio. Giles made the most of it, hitting nine of his 11 field goal attempts en route to a team-high scoring total.

Giles scored 12 points (5-9 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 1-1 FT) while adding nine rebounds and an assist in 18 minutes off the bench during Monday's scrimmage against the Clippers.

The second-year big emerged as the primary backup to Richaun Holmes at center prior to the shutdown, averaging 10.4 points and 6.6 boards in 22.5 minutes over his last 13 games. The fact that Giles even hoisted a shot from beyond the arc -- much less made one -- is also worth noting, as he didn't have a single three-point attempt all season in 38 games. If the 22-year-old used the break to work on his range, it can only bode well for his fantasy value.

Giles posted seven points (3-7 FG, 1-1 FT), four rebounds, four steals and two assists in 20 minutes during Saturday's 131-123 scrimmage loss to the Bucks.

Giles drew the start at center and held his own, getting after it defensively. Marvin Bagley (foot) is out for the season, but Richaun Holmes returned to practice Tuesday. Assuming Holmes is good to go by the time the official games begin again, Giles will almost certainly return to a reserve role in the near future.

Giles isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Pelicans, Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee reports.

Giles started 14 of the last 16 games but will go back to the bench with Richaun Holmes returning to the starting five Wednesday. Giles is averaging 4.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists over 11.1 minutes off the bench this season.

Giles had 10 points (5-8 FG), two rebounds, one assist and one steal in 15 minutes during Thursday's 125-108 loss to the 76ers.

Giles struggled through what was an unfavorable matchup, falling victim to the small-ball revolution. He had been playing well leading into Thursday but fell short of the mark in the loss. Word on the street is that Richaun Holmes (shoulder) could return as soon as this weekend, something that is likely to impact Giles' value moving forward. This is certainly the cut-throat end of the fantasy season and if you are battling for a playoff spot, Giles may need to be returned to waivers.

Giles totaled 13 points (5-7 FG, 3-3 FT), six rebounds, two steals and one assist in 27 minutes during Tuesday's 133-126 victory over the Wizards.

Giles continues his mini-breakout, scoring in double digits in six consecutive games. During that span, he has been a top-80 player despite a few inconsistencies in his playing time. Word on the street is that Richaun Holmes (shoulder) could be getting closer to a return but until then, Giles should be rostered in most competitive formats.

Giles accounted for 16 points (8-14 FG), five rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 31 minutes during Friday's 104-101 win at Memphis.

Giles has started nine of Sacramento's 11 games in February and the results have been encouraging -- he has scored 10 or more points in each of his last four outings, including a career-high 19-point effort earlier this week. Giles should be considered as the Kings' starting center moving forward and is averaging 11.3 points with 6.8 boards in 11 games this month.

Giles put up a career-high 19 points (7-11 FG, 5-5 FT) to go with eight rebounds and one assist across 24 minutes Thursday in the Kings' 112-108 loss to the Thunder.

While De'Aaron Fox (abdomen) was sidelined, Giles stepped up to fill the scoring void, pouring in 15 of his points in the first half to help give the Kings a 61-50 advantage at the break. His scoring pace slowed in the second half, but Giles still turned in another quality outing, upping his averages to 15.3 points, 9.7 boards and 2.3 assists in 26.7 minutes over his past three outings. Fox's impending return -- possibly as soon as Friday in Memphis -- may suppress Giles' usage a bit, but the 21-year-old looks poised to hold down a 20-plus-minute role while both Richaun Holmes (shoulder) and Marvin Bagley (foot) are facing uncertain return timelines.

Giles didn't start Wednesday's game against the Mavericks, Jason Jones of The Athletic reports.

Giles was originally expected to start his fourth straight contest, but the Kings opted to start Cory Joseph and begin with a small lineup. Giles averaged 17.2 minutes over the last five games and could still see a similar workload off the bench.

Giles put up eight points (3-8 FG, 2-3 FT), 12 rebounds and one assist across 27 minutes Saturday in the Kings' 122-102 win over the Spurs.

While making his sixth start of the season and second in a row, Giles was able to establish a new career high in boards. The 2017 first-round pick looks like he'll soon be headed for a downturn in playing time, however, if he's not ousted from the rotation entirely. Top center Richaun Holmes (shoulder) could be cleared to return from a multi-week absence as soon as Monday in Milwaukee, and trade-deadline pickup Alex Len could also be available for the same contest. Once both of those two players are in the fold, there likely won't be many minutes left over for Giles.

Giles totaled 16 points (7-8 FG, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds and one assist in 17 minutes during Saturday's 129-113 loss to the Lakers.

Giles is basically the last man standing for the Kings when it comes to the center position. For that reason, he shifted into the starting lineup, ending with serviceable numbers despite playing just 17 minutes. Richaun Holmes (shoulder) is slated to return this week and that is likely to result in Giles shifting into a far less appealing role.

Giles is not in the starting lineup Wednesday against the Mavericks, Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee reports.

Giles started the last three games but still only averaged 14.7 minutes per contest. Marvin Bagley will enter the starting lineup for the Kings on Wednesday.

Giles will be in the starting lineup for Monday's slate against Orlando, James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Giles will be earning his third straight start Monday versus the Magic. In his previous two starts, the former Duke standout averaged 9.0 points and 6.5 rebounds along 15.5 minutes of action.

Giles totaled 10 points (4-8 FG, 2-2 FT) and five rebounds across 15 minutes in the Kings' 127-106 defeat to the Bucks on Friday.

Giles again took the lineup in place of starter Richaun Holmes (shoulder) and provided accordingly, scoring 10-plus points for only the second time this season. The sophomore notably sat out the last quarter, but that may have more to do with the long list of team injuries and the 21-year-old's track record more than anything. If Holmes is still not fit to return, the Duke product may see another start in Sacramento's next match against Orlando.

Giles posted eight points (4-7 FG), eight rebounds and one steal in 16 minutes Tuesday in the Kings' 114-103 win over the Suns.

Stepping in for the injured Richaun Holmes (shoulder) in the starting five, Giles provided some useful production on a per-minute basis, but the lack of extended playing time took an even bigger outing off the table. Instead, the Kings relied more heavily on reserve Dewayne Dedmon to cover two thirds of the available center minutes, with the offseason acquisition delivering 12 points, 10 rebounds and one assist in his return to the rotation. Even if Holmes misses further time, Dedmon looks like he may be a greater beneficiary than Giles.

Giles is in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game at Phoenix, Gary Gerould of the Kings Radio Network reports.

The 21-year-old will make the first start of his career with Richaun Holmes (shoulder) out and Marvin Bagley (foot) doubtful. Giles is averaging 6.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.2 steals in 15.2 minutes over the last five games, but he should see more court time Tuesday.