The focus of the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement has been on incoming restrictions on teams' abilities to spend money on high-end free agents, but a Boston Celtics star helped secure another provision that is valuable for the other side of the free agent pool.
"A new provision on two-way contracts in the new CBA will informally be dubbed the 'Harry Giles III rule,' which will allow NBA players who sit out an entire season not to have that year count toward the three-year maximum service for two-way eligibility," Turner Media's Chris Haynes wrote Thursday.
Giles sat out his rookie year with the Sacramento Kings in the 2017-18 season while recovering from an ACL injury. Under the old CBA, that year would have counted toward his four years of eligibility for a two-way contract, which allows teams to keep a player on retainer with the possibility of signing them to a full-time deal.
Giles' agent, Daniel Hazan, challenged the bylaw and contacted the league and NBA Players Association to ensure neither his client nor any other player would have a season they did not play due to injury count toward their eligibility for a two-way contract.
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Jayson Tatum played with Giles at Duke, and the Celtics star voiced his concerns about players' eligibility for two-way contracts.
"I reached out in support," Tatum told Haynes. "Just trying help my guy. He deserves this shot."
Giles tweeted out a prayer hands emoji in response to Tatum's efforts.
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Tatum long has been a supporter of his former college teammate. It's possible that with this updated change in the CBA, the Celtics give Giles a shot. The 25-year-old last played for the Los Angeles Clippers' G League affiliate in the 2021-22 season.
Featured image via Paul Rutherford/USA TODAY Sports Images
