Cavs sign guard Damon Jones

Jones will upgrade Cleveland’s new-look backcourt and, according to a report in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, will earn between $15-16 million. Jones put together a breakthrough season with Miami in 2004-05 and helped the Heat record the Eastern Conference’s top regular-season record.

"Damon has proven himself to be an impact player," Cavs general manager Danny Ferry said. "He is a talented, playoff-tested veteran who will be a great fit on the court and in the locker room with our group of guys."

Jones started 66 of 82 games this past year and averaged a career-best 11.6 points along with 4.3 assists per contest. The seven-year veteran also ranked fifth in the NBA with a 43.2 percent success rate from three-point range.

The addition of Jones figures to bolster one of Cleveland’s biggest weaknesses last season, as the Cavs ranked near the bottom of the league in three-point field goal percentage (33.2%). The 29-year-old is expected to take over the point guard position vacated when Jeff McInnis signed a free-agent deal with New Jersey over the summer.

Jones, who will be joining his 10th NBA team, will join Larry Hughes in the Cavaliers’ new backcourt alignment. Hughes signed with Cleveland earlier this offseason after averaging a career-best 22 points per game with Washington in 2004-05.

"Damon will be a great addition to our core group," Cleveland head coach Mike Brown said. "His character, his ability to shoot the basketball from the perimeter and his playmaking skills will be a solid addition to our team."

Jones has averaged 6.8 points and 3.3 assists in 430 career games with New Jersey, Boston, Golden State, Dallas, Vancouver, Detroit, Sacramento, Milwaukee and Miami.