Sundiata Gaines

Aside from Derozan and the Waves, the other big cheer came for Sundiata Gaines, recent ten day contract signee of the Nets and a former Raptors guard, who came in for the first time in the fourth quarter and pretty much won the Nets the game. With his 7 points and 2 assists in the final 7 minutes of the fourth quarter, Gaines effectively closed out the game for New Jersey, the welcome recipient of a Toronto lineup that could not stop anybody for more than one possession in a row, and which also couldn't make a basket below the six minute mark.

In some additional related bookkeeping, the reason for many of the players listed in the previous list was due to the NBA's contract guarantee date. All players on NBA rosters on or after January 10th have their contracts guaranteed for the remainder of the season (future seasons are unaffected); this also includes waivers. In-season waivers are 48 hours long and do not include weekends; therefore, with the 10th of January being a Monday, players had to be waived by close of business on Wednesday 5th in order to have cleared waivers before the deadline date.

Eleven players with not fully guaranteed contracts were waived in the hours before that deadline: Steve Novak, Damien Wilkins, Jarron Collins, John Lucas III, Ime Udoka, Lester Hudson, Ronald Dupree, Brian Skinner, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Sundiata Gaines and Rodney Carney. Twenty seven unguaranteed players survived; Delonte West, Von Wafer, Brian Scalabrine, Samardo Samuels, Manny Harris, Alonzo Gee, Brian Cardinal, Melvin Ely, Gary Forbes, Jeremy Lin, Ish Smith, A.J. Price, Ike Diogu, Luc Richard Mbah A Moute, Ben Uzoh, Didier Ilunga-Mbenga, Shawne Williams, Malik Allen, Garret Siler, Patty Mills, Sean Marks, Darnell Jackson, Chris Quinn, Sonny Weems, Jeremy Evans, Cartier Martin and Hamady Ndiaye. Players with contracts who had already become guaranteed due to specific guarantee stipulations in their contracts were Sherron Collins, Derrick Brown, Josh McRoberts, Willie Warren, Derrick Caracter, Luther Head and Joey Dorsey.

Sundiata Gaines - Gaines was waived by the Jazz in training camp, then quickly picked up by the Timberwolves when they needed an emergency point guard due to injuries elsewhere. However, he was once again waived today, before his contract became guaranteed. Gaines didn't play especially well for Minnesota, with 6 assists to 6 turnovers in 65 minutes, and 21 points on 22 shots. However, he was genuinely good for Utah last season, and remains near the top of the point guard pile.

Evans, Jeffers and Gaines were covered in the Jazz summer league round-up from back in July. Jeffers averaged 7.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in the tournament, while getting to the foul line a ton; however, Gaines struggled, averaging 8.6 points on 37% shooting and turning it over 2.6 times a game compared to only 3.0apg. Evans, though, impressed in his limited minutes. Playing behind James Augustine for no real reason, Evans averaged 5.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 0.8 blocks in only 16 minutes per game, impressing the Jazz staff with his defense whilst doing enough offensively. Some more rebounds would have been nice, yet Evans won enough hearts to all but secure his place on the team, in ways not really reflected in the stat sheet. Utah's decision to pick him in the second round was highly surprisingly and easily questionable, yet now looks thoroughly validated.

Sundiata Gaines

Gaines made a name for himself quickly last season, when he hit a desperation game winning three point jumpshot for the Jazz in a win over Cleveland. It was only Gaines's fifth game ninth day and sixteenth shot with the team, yet it gained him a legacy. Gaines later signed a second ten day contract with the team, and then signed for the remainder of the season and through 2010/11 when that expired. The 2010/11 contract was fully unguaranteed, becoming $25,000 if not waived on or before July 1st (which he wasn't); it'll become $50,000 guaranteed if he makes the team's roster for their first regular season game.

He probably will do that. Despite his legacy, Gaines is not really a shooter, but he fills up the stats. He's an athlete who thrives in the open court and scores heavily, who can score in isolation and in the half court, and who doesn't turn it over too much. He's not better than Ronnie Price, and Utah still needs an upgrade at their backup guard spots, yet they could also use some cheap depth. Gaines is that, and he should make the team.

The Jazz signed Sundiata Gaines today. They needed an extra guard, and Sundiata was one of the best the D-League has to offer. For the Idaho Stampede this year, he was averaging 23.9 points, 6.9 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals, and no matter how much those numbers are inflated by the Stampede's pace - and no matter how unflattering his measurements are to his score-first style - them's is good numbers. Also note; 10 day contracts became available today, and today marks the 14th day after the Matt Harpring/Eric Maynor trade, meaning today was the day that the Jazz had to sign someone. The timing of that trade was not a coincidence. By waiting as long as possible, they saved as much money as possible. Because of that, it wouldn't be a surprise if Sundiata played out his ten days and then went back to the D-League. Good luck to him, though. If Wes Matthews can do a Wes Matthews, then so can Sundiata Gaines.

(Here's a video of Sundiata's reaction to being called up. Awww!)