Be Himself
The biggest thing that the Kings are lacking so far this season is an identity. While Richaun Holmes’ surprise production and tenacious style of play have given the Kings a spark this season, there is no one else on the roster with the charisma that Harry Giles provides.
His enthusiasm is infectious. He is animated, clapping his monster hands between possessions and waving his lanky arms to pump up the crowd. His intensity can often get him in trouble, as he averaged 2.6 personal fouls last season, good for a per-36 of a whopping 6.6. But his attitude may be the burst of life that the Sacramento Kings desperately need.
The identity of the team left last season when Iman Shumpert was questionably traded at the February deadline and the Kings began their second-half slide. While Buddy Hield and De’Aaron Fox are the unquestioned leaders on the court, there is no alpha dog in the locker room. Trevor Ariza and Dewayne Dedmon don’t exactly strike me as motivational speech types.
Enter: Giles. No matter the amount of playing time or placement in the rotation, the third-year player simply needs to be on the court in order to make an impact. Any type of production that he can provide the Kings in the box score would only be the icing on the cake.