Season Stats:
57 G, 12 GS, 13.9 MPG, 5.1 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG, .428 eFG%, .465 TS%, 15.1 PER, 10.0 PIE
Preseason Outlook:
Interestingly enough, Gaines joined up with the Nets after Deron Williams joined the team last year. Both played together in Utah, and we all know how D-Will is the assistant to the assistant GM. So you do the math. However, as of now, he’s the third-string PG, though I wonder if he can move into a bigger role if the Nets move Jordan Farmar.
Evaluation:
Gaines started off the season with a much bigger role than I, and probably most Nets fans, anticipated. He was given a role as the starting shooting guard, and from there, remaining in a back-up “point guard, but really, I’m a third string shooting guard” kind of role. He manned the point the last few games when D-Will and Farmar were out, but he managed to rack up over a 2-1 shot-to-assist ratio, and his made field goals were about the same numbers-wise as his successful looks.
Offensively, Gaines was about a one-trick pony in the sense that he didn’t do much other than take shots, mostly flailing towards the rim. He wasn’t very good at this and ended up slowing down the offense more than speeding it up. His skill set works against him when given extended minutes because he is at his best when he comes off the bench and provides some instant energy. But, when he is a starter, this is an ineffective way to run the point and definitely hurt the offensive flow of the Nets.
This equates to the same type of play on defense. He simply isn’t a good enough defender to stay in a game for extended minutes and his flaws were especially exposed when he was a starter, playing against quality starters. Gaines, in all aspects of basketball, is a third-string point guard and on any other roster would be treated that way.
Final Grade:
