Few contracts in professional sports are as fleeting as the NBA's 10-day deals, which give players just a week and a half, usually no more than four or five games, to prove they deserve a chance to remain on a team's roster. As Jannero Pargo, who is currently playing on his fourth 10-day contract of the season, told Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer earlier this month, "Fourth quarter, down two points, is a lot less pressure than playing on a 10-day contract."
While many players don't receive a shot at a second 10-day deal or a guaranteed contract, a number of guys this season have parlayed these temporary contracts into something more permanent. When Terrel Harris and Maalik Wayns finalize their reported agreements with the Hornets and Clippers, respectively, they'll be the 13th and 14th players in 2013 to be locked up to guaranteed deals after starting on a 10-day contract.
With the help of our 10-day contract tracker, here's a round-up of the players to sign rest-of-season deals following 10-day contracts this season:
- Chris Andersen (Heat)
- Mickael Gelabale (Timberwolves)
- Juwan Howard (Heat)
- Mike James (Mavericks)
- Chris Johnson (Timberwolves)
- Shelvin Mack (Hawks)
- Kenyon Martin (Knicks)
- Jeremy Pargo (76ers)
- Shavlik Randolph (Celtics)
- Jarvis Varnado (Heat)
- D.J. White (Celtics)
- Terrence Williams (Celtics)
While most of these players signed a pair of 10-day contracts before their clubs locked them up for the season, the Sixers and Celtics apparently saw enough from Jeremy Pargo and Terrence Williams during their first week and a half with their respective teams to not require that second 10-day stint. Additionally, a number of these guys, including the Celtics trio, were locked up to non-guaranteed contracts for 2013/14, giving teams a chance to get an extended look at them over the summer.
One more note: Although many of these players have become a part of their teams' regular rotations, that's not always the case. For every Mike James, who has started the Mavericks' last 12 games and played 20+minutes in each contest, there's a Jarvis Varnado, who hasn't appeared in a game for the Heat in over a month as he shuffles back and forth between the NBA and the D-League.
The difference between James and Varnado highlights the difference ways in which teams can employ 10-day deals. James, a 37-year-old veteran proved during his 10-day contracts that he had enough left in the tank to help the Mavs immediately. Varnado, meanwhile, showed enough promise that the Heat wanted to keep him on their roster into the summer, even if won't contribute at all on the court during the team's playoff run.
To keep tabs on all of this year's 10-day contracts, be sure to check out our tracker, which allows you to sort 10-day deals by type, team, player, and more.