SACRAMENTO -- Harry Giles missed the Kings' trip to India over the last week with a sore left knee. Sacramento's medical staff even had the 21-year-old undergo a precautionary MRI on the joint to to ensure everything was structurally sound, which came back clean.
Any kind of setback is frustrating for both the player and the team, but it is imperative that all sides err on the side of caution when it comes to the health of the 6-foot-10 center.
"We left Harry back, his left knee was bothering him," head coach Luke Walton said. "As much as I wanted him there with us, it's 40 hours of flight time, when your knee is sore is not ideal. We need Harry for the regular season so we left him and one of PT's back to just get a lot of work in."
Walton said that Giles missed the practice session on Tuesday and will sit out the team's preseason home opener Thursday against the Phoenix Suns, but the Kings hope to have him back in then fold very soon.
"He's working." Walton said. "When he's ready and the medical staff feels he's ready to go, we'll get him back out there."
Giles played in 58 games for the Kings as a rookie last season after redshirting the year before. The No. 20 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft has a long history of knee injuries and Sacramento continues to take a cautious approach to his rehab and development.
In addition to Giles, Tyler Ulis (hip) and Cory Joseph (sore right calf), sat out the practice session as well and are not expected to suit up against the Suns.
