MIAMI -- Throughout his NBA career, James Jones has always thought of the Miami Heat as his team.

And now, it finally is.

The South Florida native signed a five-year contract on Wednesday with the Heat, one that'll pay him $4 million next season and could be worth more than $23 million over the life of the deal. He had other offers, including one from the Detroit Pistons that tempted him, but ultimately Jones wanted to come home.

"For me, it's like coming full circle," Jones said. "I'm from the city. I spend all my time here and when the Heat hurt, even when I'm on another team, I still feel that pain. ... So for me, the interest from my hometown team superseded and outweighed all the other positives and pluses of the different cities, especially Detroit, that were looking for my services."

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel first reported terms of the agreement, including a clause that makes the final three years conditional -- which ensures that Miami can still have maximum spending capability during the free-agent summer of 2010, the year that Dwyane Wade can opt out of his Heat contract.



Jones

Jones, who played at the University of Miami and has been with Indiana, Phoenix and Portland in his NBA career, is a 3-point specialist, and that's an area where the Heat clearly need an upgrade.

Jones shot a career-best 44 percent from 3-point range last season. The Heat, as a team, shot 36 percent from beyond the arc a year ago.

"Everyone knows I can shoot," said Jones, who got his deal done on the first day of this year's free-agent signing period. "I love to shoot. That's what I do. I try not to step on any toes, not try to do too much, but just do what I do well, which is make shots."

It's unclear where exactly Jones will fit into the Heat rotation next season.

Miami drafted Michael Beasley, who'll likely play some minutes at both forward positions. The Heat have a contract offer pending with restricted free-agent forward Dorell Wright and still have small forward Shawn Marion and power forward Udonis Haslem -- both of whom have been mentioned as possible trade candidates. Plus, the Heat will likely still seek some help at point guard (besides rookie Mario Chalmers) and center.

"We're trying to develop and build our bench," Heat president Pat Riley said earlier this week. "I think we have to build our depth right now, first. I think that's the first priority before you make a big move."

For his part, Jones doesn't care what role he plays, as long as he gets the chance to help the Heat erase the sting of last year's dreadful, injury-plagued 15-67 season.

"If that means coming off the bench, if that means starting, if that means taking 10 shots, if that means taking one shot, for me, it's about being efficient and winning games," Jones said. "Coming here, I don't have any expectations about what position or which role I'll play. All I'm looking for is the opportunity to compete."

Sebastian Telfair, Tyronn Lue , Jannero Pargo, Carlos Arroyo, Eddie House, Anthony Johnson and Anthony Carter are the other PG's Heat are heard to be talking about. For Me i would like either Arroyo or Dooling.

The Miami Heat, continuing to search for point guard help, has ''expressed great interest'' in Orlando Magic unrestricted free agent and former Heat backup Keyon Dooling, agent Rob Pelinka said Thursday.

Pelinka declined to say if Miami has made an offer but said the sides ``will continue to have a dialogue.''

The Heat hopes to acquire a point guard either through trade or with part of its midlevel exception, which is expected to be in the range of $5.8 million to $6 million.

The Heat also has inquired about several other veteran free agent point guards, including Sebastian Telfair, Tyronn Lue and Jannero Pargo. Other veteran free agent point guards available include Carlos Arroyo, Eddie House, Anthony Johnson and Anthony Carter.

Dooling, 28, averaged 8.1 points, 1.8 assists, 1.4 rebounds and 18.5 minutes for Orlando last season, and his .468 shooting percentage was higher than his .417 career average.

He spent the 2004-05 season with the Heat, providing defense and energy off the bench and averaging 5.2 points and 1.8 assists in 74 games. He signed a three-year, $11 million deal with Orlando in the summer of 2005. A graduate of Fort Lauderdale Dillard High, Dooling has started 36 of 465 career games.

At other positions, the Heat has had conversations about former University of Miami small forward James Jones and Memphis power forward/center Kwame Brown

Baron Davis shocked the Warriors by opting out of his contract on Monday. Imagine their surprise now.

NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com's Marc Stein that the guard reached a verbal agreement with the Clippers on Tuesday night and will sign a new multiyear contract with Los Angeles after the leaguewide moratorium on signings and trades is lifted July 9.

Davis was in line to make $17.8 million in the last year of his deal with the Warriors, but after telling the team that he wanted to stay, opted out at the last minute.

Sources told ESPN.com that Davis, 29, will receive a five-year deal worth an estimated $65 million.

Forward Elton Brand also opted out of his contract with the Clippers on Monday, and speculation quickly began that the team would try to keep Brand and sign Davis. This scenario is only possible if the Clippers renounce the rights of Corey Maggette and Brand takes a slight pay cut.

Sources say the Clippers are expected to do just that and quickly reach a verbal agreement to bring back Brand.

Maggette opted out of his deal on Monday as well.

Davis averaged 21.8 points, 7.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds last season for a Warriors team that won 48 games but did not make the playoffs

On the morning show Anthony Gargano (Who has been right with many trades and FA pick ups) reported that Saint WR Marques COlston wont report 2 TC if he dosent recive a contract that a top WR is worth. He also said there is a chance that we could make one last offer 4 a WR by dealingt Lito and a second rounder 2 the saints for Marques Colston.

If this is a true story then i will be watching ESPN and CSN untill it happens. Also this was reported this morning around 1 AM from Howard eskin who does some Sports show for all the teams in philly.

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Found Player And Team Ratings, Just Click On Da Photos And You Will See Da Teams Depth Chart and There U Will See Da Ratings.

Im Happy as hell we picked him , This was my fav. WR in the draft and im looking forward to see him in that eagle green , Shoutouts to all Eagle Fans , Eagles All Day