Gaines was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 3rd round (65th overall) of the 1988 NBA Draft. A 6\'3" (1.90 m) guard from UCLA and Loyola Marymount University, Gaines played in 5 NBA seasons for 4 different teams. He played for the New Jersey Nets (1988–89), Philadelphia 76ers (1989–90, 1994–95), Denver Nuggets (1990–91) and New York Knicks (1993–94). In his NBA career, he played in 80 games and scored a total of 248 points. Throughout his NBA career, he also spent time playing in Continental Basketball Association for multiple teams. Gaines also played in multiple international basketball leagues (including the Japanese professional men\'s basketball league) throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s. His last team he played for would be of the Long Beach Jam under the revived American Basketball Association. The Jam would win the ABA Championship under their first season of existence, thanks in part to having players like Dennis Rodman on their squad.\n', '

After winning the ABA Championship, Gaines would retire from playing basketball and start out as an assistant coach for the Long Beach Jam in their second year of existence. During the season, he would take over the head coach role there after their previous coach would accept a coaching role in the NBA. After the Jam\'s second season ended, it was announced that the Long Beach Jam would not play the next season due to their eventual move to Bakersfield in order to complete their transition to the NBA Development League. As a result, he would soon be an assistant coach for the Phoenix Mercury for the 2006 and 2007 seasons. On November 7, 2007, Gaines became the head coach of the Phoenix Mercury, replacing outgoing head coach Paul Westhead. Gaines had prior experience with Westhead\'s offense, having played for him at Loyola Marymount University and with the Nuggets. Gaines kept the same offense that Westhead employed, and in 2009, he directed the Mercury to their second WNBA title. Under Gaines\' guidance, Diana Taurasi became the second player in WNBA history to win the regular season scoring title, the WNBA MVP Award, the WNBA Championship, and the WNBA Finals MVP Award in the same season.\n', '

In November 2011, Gaines was promoted to general manager of the Mercury, taking over a position vacated by Ann Meyers-Drysdale. On August 8, 2013, the Phoenix Mercury announced that they had relieved Gaines of his duties as head coach and general manager, and named former University of Arizona and Grand Canyon University men\'s basketball head coach Russ Pennell as the team\'s interim head coach.\n', '

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