Utah Jazz: D-Will, Price miss practice, questionable for Friday's game

SALT LAKE CITY — Sundiata Gaines got his first NBA playing experience on Wednesday night, only hours after signing a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz.

Two days later after being called up from the D-League, the undrafted rookie point guard just might get his first NBA start.

That depends on the availability of the two point guards ahead of him on the roster, Deron Williams and Ronnie Price, both of whom did not practice this morning and will be gametime decisions for Friday night's game at Memphis.

Williams has been out of action since spraining and bruising his right wrist during Monday's game against New Orleans. He sat out Utah's win over Memphis on Wednesday night after admitting his arm was even more sore than it had been before.

Price, meanwhile, also attended practice but did not participate because of tendinitis in his left shoulder. He started against the Grizzlies, scoring 14 points with a season-high six assists in the lead point guard role.

If neither is able to go Friday, Sloan would either start Gaines, who continues to go through a Jazz system crash-course, or he could opt to use emergency backup point guards Ronnie Brewer (season-high 10 assists Wednesday), Andrei Kirilenko and/or C.J. Miles to get the team into its offense.

e-mail: jody@desnews.com