Sep. 3--MIAMI -- Jamaal Magloire offers no pretense about what he hopesto deliver to the Heat this season.
"I've always been one to claw, grab, pull, fight to get the job done,"the veteran center said after signing Tuesday.
That's where Magloire's career stands these days, wrestling to regainrespect after falling off the NBA radar during a 2007-08 season in which heappeared in only 31 games for an average of just 9.2 minutes.
Not only did Magloire sign a one-year contract for the veteran's minimumof $1.14 million, but only half that figure is guaranteed.
An All-Star in 2004 while with the Hornets, Magloire found himselfshuffled to the end of the bench last season in New Jersey and Dallas.
"This is an opportunity for me to re-energize my career," he said,repeating the verb Heat President Pat Riley utilized in announcing theaddition of the 30-year-old native of Toronto.
"I love this game so much, and the fact that I didn't play last year justmakes me more vicious and more hungry."
With last December's knee injury to Alonzo Mourning and the increasingdisinterest of eventually traded Shaquille O'Neal, the Heat hardly was viciousand hungry in the middle last season as it careened to a league-worst 15-67record.
Now there is a 6-foot-11, 265-pound veteran who offers more muscle thanMark Blount, more size than Joel Anthony and more experience than undraftedrookie David Padgett, the other center on the camp roster.
"I see an opportunity, whether it's to be out there rebounding, whetherit's blocking shots, whether it's pulling, tugging," Magloire said.
While the options were limited for a player who is joining his fifth teamsince the start of 2005-06, he was intrigued about the possibilities ofplaying for first-year coach Erik Spoelstra and fellow University of Kentuckyalum Riley.
"First and foremost was my gut feeling for the coach," he said. "He givesoff a good aura, he gives off a vibe. He's very eager to do well."
Evan Drexler 
