MIAMI, Dec. 3 -- Desperate to inject some offense into his reeling team, Pat Riley has turned to Jim Jackson. The Miami Heat on Monday signed Jackson, the veteran swingman who has averaged 16.8 points in his nine-year NBA career.
Terms were not disclosed.
The 31-year-old Jackson will be joining his eighth team. He played for the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers last season and averaged 11.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists, but shot just 38 percent from the field and spent time on the injured list with plantar fasciaitis in his left foot.
The Heat have lost 11 in a row for the first time in more than a decade and averaged just 81 points in the skid. The team hit rock bottom with losses to Chicago and Washington in its last two games.
Miami has hampered by injuries to Alonzo Mourning, Brian Grant and Rod Strickland. Just three players have appeared in all 15 games.
The 6-6, 220-pound Jackson has averaged at least 11.5 points in eight of his nine seasons in a career which has included stops at Dallas (1992-97), New Jersey (1997), Philadelphia (1997-98), Golden State (1998), Portland (1998-99), Atlanta (1999-2001) and Cleveland (2001).
Jackson averaged a career-high 25.7 points at Dallas during the 1994-95 season.
The fourth overall pick in 1992, Jackson was previously a teammate with four members of the Heat -- Kendall Gill in New Jersey, Brian Grant in Portland, LaPhonso Ellis in Atlanta and Chris Gatling in Dallas, New Jersey and Cleveland.
The Heat released rookie forward Tang Hamilton to make room on the roster for Jackson. Hamilton started two of nine games with Miami and averaged 2.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in 10.9 minutes. Content: 15008000
