Ben Simmons wasn’t the only former first-round pick looking to prove he’s healthy to stand out for the Nets in their second preseason game on Thursday.
There was also Harry Giles, who is trying to win a roster spot after not having played for two seasons due to knee injuries.
Head coach Jacque Vaughn said Giles, along with Darius Bazley and Trendon Watford, will get plenty of opportunities during the preseason and now that the Nets have just two preseason games remaining, time is of the essence for the three big men.
Giles got added time on the floor Thursday because Nic Claxton sat out with a sore glute and Vaughn liked how Giles performed.
“Harry was extremely aggressive, rebounding on both ends of the floor,” Vaughn said. “He was physical and in the right spots defensively.”
Giles, once considered one of the top high school players in the country, has yet to match those expectations.
Still just 25, Giles — who played one season at Duke before being selected 20th overall by the Trail Blazers in 2017 and immediately traded to the Kings — can still change the trajectory of his career.
When Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe (still nursing a sprained left ankle) return, there might not be many minutes for whoever ends up on the roster.
So while he’s out there, Giles said he’s focused on “just playing hard and rebounding.”
Asked about spacing on the floor with Simmons, Giles said the two need to adjust how the other big man plays.
“It’s more a challenge of just getting used to each other,” Giles said. “We’re on our 10th day together, the whole unit, and second game. I think it’s good. He’s getting in the rhythm of playing again like I am now. I’m learning what reads he likes.’’
With Simmons potentially running the offense, Spencer Dinwiddie figures to have the ball less frequently after topping the team with 9.1 assists last season.
“Basketball is basketball,’’ Dinwiddie said of his role. “I pride myself on being one of the more complete players in the league, whatever is asked of me.”
The team should have more clarity Saturday on the severity of the ankle injury Dennis Smith Jr. suffered in the game Thursday. X-rays were negative, but Smith was scheduled for more tests.
The Nets’ Practice in the Park will be held at Barclays Center on Saturday instead of at Brooklyn Bridge Pier due to rain in the forecast.