Miami Heat Pursuing Jamaal Tinsley

With Lamar Odom's, Carlos Boozer's, and Allen Iverson's names being tossed around the city of Miami, another name has now entered Miami's free agent discussions. This player could fill the Heat's need for a veteran point guard.

After recently being waived by the Indiana Pacers, league sources are now saying that the Heat are front-runners to sign seven-year veteran Jamaal Tinsley. Even with All-Star point guard Allen Iverson still on the market, the Heat are looking to sign Tinsley for the biannual exception.

Tinsley has encountered health problems throughout his career and has never played a full 82-game season. Tinsley missed the entire 2008-2009 season. He has not played a game since January 2008.

During the 2007-08 season, he only played in 39 games and averaged 12 points and eight assists per game. 

While Tinsley can dish out the assists, he is also turnover prone, averaging nearly three turnovers per game for his career. He has never been a consistent shooter. His career-high, percentage-wise, has only been 42 percent, and he has averaged a little below 40 percent for his career.

The point guard spot, while not the largest issue for the Heat, could become a problem in the postseason due to the fact that there is no veteran leadership.

Second-year guard Mario Chalmers is the starting point guard and seldom-used guard Chris Quinn is his backup. Tinsley could come in for veteran leadership, and he could, with Dwyane Wade's presence, improve his game.

The only team that could compete with the Heat for Tinsley would be the New York Knicks, who are expected to meet with him later this week.