Zabian Dowdell

A mere 48 hours after the Top 101 Ten Day Contract Candidates list was completed, the Phoenix Suns went and signed somebody that wasn't on it. Clearly, 20 would not have been enough.

With the second signed ten day contract of the season - the Clippers used the first to re-sign Jarron Collins - Phoenix called up guard Zabian Dowdell from the Tulsa 66ers of the D-League, re-signing a player they had only recently cut in training camp.

Dowdell did not make the initial list, perhaps in part due to an oversight, but because his numbers thus far this season had not been overwhelming. Playing on the incredibly deep 66ers roster, Dowds averaged 14.5 points, 4.6 assists, 2.4 steals and 1.8 turnovers in 29 minutes per game, shooting 41% from the field and 31% from three, with 261 points on 230 shots. The assist to turnover ratio was nice, and the defense as present as ever, yet Dowdell's individual scoring ability has not been there. Nevertheless, Phoenix now gives a regular season look to this long-coveted player for them, who should fit in nicely with an up-tempo game, and defend better than the Nash/Dragic point guard combo (which, while awesome, only impacts one end).

Dowdell's stock has been plummeting for three years, and last year was no different. After injury prevented him from signing with the Suns, Dowdell went to the D-League, where he put up rather pedestrian averages of 13/3 (perhaps still recovering from the injury). He was soon bought out of his D-League contract by Spanish giant Unicaja Malaga, but didn't play particularly well there, averaging 6.4 points and 1.9 assists in 21 games, recording 134 points on 138 shots. Dowdell is best defensively and in transition, two things the Suns require; he's also a good slasher, a fairly high IQ player, with good energy and a great wingspan. He ticks most of the boxes, even if he could be a better outside shooter. There's a reason his stock is as high as it was. However, after a couple of down years (he scored 20ppg in 2008-09, but was only in the Italian second division for some reason), the now 26 year old Dowdell needs to make his biggest moves now. With a legitimate chance of making the Suns team, though, this might be that.

Zabian Dowdell

The Suns were going to bring in Dowdell for training camp last year, were it not for an injury that Dowdell suffered before it started. The injury kept him on the shelf until mid-December, when he returned to play with the D-League's Tulsa 66ers and averaged 12.9 points/3.7 assists. Dowdell then moved to Euroleague calibre team Unicaja Malaga, but struggled mightily over there. In 21 ACB games, Dowdell averaged only 6.4 points and 1.7 assists per game, shooting only 36% from the field and 24% from three point range. Dowdell is best defensively and usually a better shooter than that, yet it's worrying numbers in Dowdell's highest standard of play to date.

- Zabian Dowdell

Dowdell spent last year in the Italian second division, which was perhaps an odd place for him to be given that he is capable of more than that. Dowdell got injured in the summer, which kept him out of action for a few months, and then last month he joined up with the Tulsa 66ers of the D-League. He averaged 12.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists per games for the team, but only lasted for 10 games before moving on to Unicaja Malaga to pair up with Juan Dixon above. In 23 minutes of 2 games for Malaga, Dowdell has totalled 5 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist.