The 2023-24 Brooklyn Nets roster was different from the one that will take on the 2024-25 campaign. While young players like Cam Thomas, Nicolas Claxton, and Day'Ron Sharpe are returning, experienced bench pieces like Lonnie Walker IV and Royce O'Neal departed the team. Former role-playing center Harry Giles III, who made his debut with the Nets in 2023-24, has found a new team as well.
Giles has agreed to a one-year deal with the Charlotte Hornets, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. Giles is a Duke alum and North Carolina native who will get the opportunity to compete for a roster spot in his home state, Charania noted.
Harry Giles III was once one of the most highly-touted basketball prospects in the country. ESPN ranked the 6'10" center the No. 1 recruit for the Class of 2016. Giles elected to attend Duke and played one season with the program. He averaged just 3.9 points and 3.8 assists in 26 games, but the fact he was able to get on the court and contribute was admirable.
Before going to Duke, Giles suffered two torn ACLs, a torn MCL and meniscus, and another torn ligament injury. Yet, he was eventually able to earn an NBA opportunity. The Portland Trail Blazers selected Giles with their 20th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He made his league debut with the Sacramento Kings during the 2018-19 season, where he saw some of his greatest success.
Giles averaged a career-high 7.0 points along with 3.8 rebounds per game in his debut year with Sac. He played for the team for one more year before stints with the Trail Blazers, Nets, and briefly, the Los Angeles Lakers.
Looking back at Harry Giles III's time with the Nets
Giles appeared in 16 games for Brooklyn in 2023-24, averaging 3.4 points and 1.4 rebounds in just 5.1 minutes of action. The Nets knew Giles had talent, but it was hard for him to crack the rotation with the presence of Nic Claxton and Day'Ron Sharpe.
Claxton, of course, was a starter for the Nets, playing 29.9 minutes per game. Meanwhile, Sharpe earned an expanded role with Brooklyn after a stellar stint with the team's G League affiliate Long Island Nets. Sharpe played 15.5 minutes per game for Brooklyn and averaged an earnest 6.8 points and 6.4 rebounds.
Giles may no longer be on the Nets, but his stint with the team will prove to be vital as he looks to become a contributor for the Hornets in 2024-25.