By Ira Winderman | South Florida Sun-Sentinel 7:49 PM EDT, July 8, 2008 James Jones ORLANDO - Following through on his vow to bolster his team's depth, Miami Heat President Pat Riley moved closer Tuesday to signing James Jones to a free-agent contract, reaching terms on a deal with the former University of Miami 3-point specialist. Riley declined comment at the Orlando Pro Summer League. With the free-agent signing period to commence at midnight, a five-year deal has been worked out with Jones, starting at $4 million for next season. The final three years of the contract would be conditional, to protect the Heat for the 2010 free-agency period. In addition to signing Jones, the Heat also stood poised at the midnight opening of the free-agent signing period to use part of its salary cap exemptions to sign second-round pick Mario Chalmers. The Heat opted to offer Chalmers more than the rookie minimum based on his play during summer camp last week at AmericanAirlines Arena and the first two games of the Orlando Pro Summer League, in which Chalmers has averaged 15 points and 7.5 assists, as the Heat's most consistent player. Chalmers has yet to sign. Jones played last season for the Portland Trail Blazers, after previous stints with the Indiana Pacers and the Phoenix Suns in his five-year career. The 6-foot-8 forward closed this past season ranked third in the league in 3-point percentage at .444. The Heat has been searching for a 3-point specialist after losing Jason Kapono, James Posey and Damon Jones in recent years. With the signing of Jones and the added money used to secure Chalmers, it almost certainly means the Heat would now have to turn to the trade market to fill its voids at center and point guard -- unless Chalmers has become viewed as a potential starter. With Portland loaded in its perimeter rotation, Jones last month opted out of the $3.2 million on the final year of his Blazers contract to become a free agent July 1. His Heat contract will guarantee more than $8 million over the next two seasons, and considerably more over the following three. Jones, a Miami native, has spent recent weeks working out at the YMCA in Weston, splitting his time between core training at the second-floor weight room and 3-point shooting sessions when summer campers there vacate the gym at midday, often interacting with the youths. Jones also spent time with Heat forward Michael Beasley, when Beasley last month made his pre-draft visit to AmericanAirlines Arena. Beasley and Jones are represented by the same agent, Joel Bell. --

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