Jacque Vaughn talks about the center rotation amid Day'Ron Sharpe's injury

Day’Ron Sharpe is facing an extended spell on the sidelines.

© Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

Day’Ron Sharpe sustained a hyperextended knee that will keep him sidelined for the next two weeks. The Nets will play multiple games without their backup center, who has become one of Brooklyn’s most productive contributors this season.

The former North Carolina Tar Heel averages 7.5 points and seven rebounds in only 16 minutes per game. He brings stability to the Nets roster because there is no drop-off when Nic Claxton sits. After all, Sharpe checks in to provide a solid presence in the paint. Losing Day’Ron was a big blow, but coach Jacque Vaughn is finding a way to deal with the absence.

“We’ll have to figure some things out… Harry Giles will get some minutes for us, and we’ll definitely need Nic Claxton to play more minutes, probably. Then we’ll figure things out with the rest of the roster,” Coach JV said in an interview.

Giles can be a strong contributor

In his short cameos this season, Harry Giles III has shown he has the motor to keep up with opposing big men. At 6’10”, Giles has the physical profile to step in Sharpe’s role, but the natural rebounding instincts are not on the same level. However, Giles can compensate for this with his boundless energy.

The former Duke Blue Devil will likely get the nod as the primary backup big without Day’Ron because he has the size to match up with other big men when Nic rests. Offensively, Giles can contribute by setting hard screens and cleaning up offensive rebounds. Harry will also inject some energy into the team, perfect for how Coach JV wants to play.

Trendon Watford can also be an alternative

Vaughn singled out Giles mainly because of his size and how he matches up against opposing bigs. However, they can also run Trendon Watford as a small-ball five, where he can outspeed opponents and be a playmaker from the center position.

The Nets have versatile players who can play the center position. There was a time earlier in the season when Coach JV ran Dorian Finney-Smith as a small-ball five when Claxton got injured. Now that they’re dealing with Sharpe's injury, more options are available to the coaching staff.

Whether it will be Giles, Watford, or any other innovative idea Coach Vaughn comes up with, Brooklyn will be a fun team to watch while Day’Ron is out. 

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