(Slam Online)
When Othyus Jeffers‘ second 10-day contract expired yesterday, he was unsure of what the future held for him with the Utah Jazz. In fact, there were reporters who were informed that he would be staying with the team for the remainder of the season before he was.
Although this method seems indecent to Jeffers, I see it a little differently.
This “secretive” method, in my opinion, is exactly why keeping a guy like Jeffers on the squad is a perfect move for the team: He doesn’t EXPECT a spot on the roster. Rather, he feels the need to EARN his keep with the Jazz. And obviously, after surviving two 10-day contracts, he proved that he is capable of doing just that.
Earlier in the season, Sundiata Gaines had the same opportunity that Jeffers just had. Of course, Gaines proved his worth by single-handedly knocking off the Cavs, but he didn’t stop there (and there’s no doubt that he could have). Throughout his time with the Jazz this season, Gaines has shown the ability to hold it down at the point guard position, and he helps give Jerry Sloan the confidence he needs to play him as the season moves forward and into the postseason. Because Gaines remained hungry, and he was not complacent with just hitting that one 3-pointer against Cleveland, he has been an important part of the Jazz and their team chemistry.
With some more time and continued dedication, Jeffers can do the same. As long as he remains hungry, and he doesn’t let the guarantee of being with the team for the rest of the season get in the way of his desire to play hard, there is no reason to think that he cannot add some value to this team. Sure, he is not going to play many minutes, but if he can make the minutes that he does play count, that will be great for the Jazz as a whole.
Why?
First of all, anytime a guy like Othyus Jeffers can succeed in the NBA, he instantly becomes a fan favorite. He is the guy that people love to root for because he had to go through the grind to get where is today. Now, I am not saying that everybody else in the NBA did not have to work their tails off to get there. But specifically when you get a D-League standout, who has had a few more road-blocks than the average NBA player, he becomes the guy that everybody wants to see do well. And that even includes teammates. Because of this, any positive contributions that he provides for the team will be huge for momentum, and it will help bring the team together as well. This, in turn, will be contagious, and the rest of the team will undoubtedly play better.
Another positive aspect of having a guy like Jeffers on the team is that the other players will be forced to play harder to keep their spots. If two guys on the roster like Jeffers and Gaines can come out of the D-League and earn a spot on this roster, it shows that hard work is the key ingredient to earning valuable time with this team. Because nothing is truly guaranteed to most of the players on this team, their level of play will need to be high at all times if they want to play a lot. With that as motivation, Sloan will be able to get the best effort of his team on a consistent basis.
Now, clearly Deron Williams is not going to benched in favor of Sundiata Gaines in a playoff game, but the bridge between the possibility of it happening and not happening has definitely shortened by having two D-Leaguers on the roster. Trust me, this is only a positive sign for the Utah Jazz.
Finally, having Jeffers on the roster is great because he has unlimited potential. If the Jazz just decided to get an NBA veteran, they would have known exactly what they were getting. However, when you take a chance on a guy like Jeffers, who is still unproven, his ceiling is not yet determined. Yes, he may just turn out to be an average player with limited ability, but there is always the chance that he can be something special. The fact that he still remains a mystery is a positive thing in my opinion, and it can be very exciting to see what he can bring to the table.
When Sundiata Gaines first came up, nobody expected much from him. However, over a very short period of time, he has definitely turned some heads, and he is adding more than the Jazz could have ever hoped for. Personally, I think that he plays with a ton of heart, and he plays with great intensity on both sides of the ball. His knack for heroics doesn’t hurt too much either.
Can you imagine if the O-Dog can be half as good as Gaines has been? Wouldn’t you be happy with that?
I, for one, know that I would.