Utah Jazz: Sundiata Gaines giddy about NBA opportunity

SALT LAKE CITY — No, Utah Jazz fans, no need to squint your eyes. Matt Harpring has not returned to the team.

The Jazz player now sporting No. 15 — the digits on Harpring's jersey for the seven seasons he played in Utah — is the organization's new addition and not the recently traded veteran.

Jerry Sloan, for one, had no qualms with that.

"Matt," the coach said, "doesn't work for us anymore."

Unlike Sundiata Gaines, who now does after signing a 10-day contract with the Jazz.

Quite frankly, the 23-year-old is just giddy to have his own NBA jersey after being called up from the D-League's Idaho Stampede to be the Jazz's third point guard.

"I'm happy," he said Wednesday morning, "just to have a number right now and be playing."

The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder was on cloud nine by the end of the night.

Not only did Gaines sign with Utah after passing a physical, but he also saw his first real-live action, dishing out five assists and scoring three points in 21 unexpected minutes.

Quite the feat considering Gaines went undrafted after his four-year University of Georgia career and didn't even get invited to participate in an NBA summer-league or fall camp.

Before Wednesday, the closest he'd gotten to the league was an Atlanta mini-camp.

Gaines played professionally in Italy after college and joined the D-League last fall, attracting attention with his breakout play that included averages of 23.9 points, 6.9 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 14 games.

Gaines is a self-described combo guard, who admitted liking to do everything from banging with the big guys inside, penetrating, diving, defending, hustling and shooting, to finding open shots for teammates. He thinks he's a quick-learner, too.

Gaines called both his new opportunity and new organization "great."

The Jamaica, N.Y. native will certainly endear himself to his new coach if he follows through on the things he's saying.

"I think the first thing you always start with is effort," Gaines said. "People always love players that play hard and when you come out here and play hard, things just kind of fall in place.

"And," he added, "with my talent and my effort I think I'll be all right."