Written by Sam Amico

---

In one of the quieter offseason moves made by the Cavaliers, GM Danny Ferry signed 6'6 swingman Tarence Kinsey to a free agent deal.  Kinsey spent last season split between the Turkish professional league and the Memphis Grizzlies, who he showed some real promise for when starting some games for them down the stretch of the 2006-2007 season.  Our guy Sam Amico had a chance to sit down with Tarence in a recent trip out to the Cavs practice facility in Independence. INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Tarence Kinsey is a 6-foot-6 swingman and the newest addition to the Cleveland Cavaliers' roster. He split last season with the Memphis Grizzlies and Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul in Turkey, averaging 3.6 points in 11 NBA games. He is expected to give the Cavs some athleticism and hustle off the bench. Kinsey sat down for a brief one-on-one chat with TheClevelandFan.com during training camp. Here is what he had to say:

Sam: How did you end up signing with the Cavs?

Kinsey: They invited me to a mini-camp for a couple days ... it was sort of a tryout, I guess. But God was on my side and it worked out in my favor, and now I'm back.

Sam: What can you bring to this team?

Kinsey: Energy, effort, hustle plays, a mid-range game. Basically, just taking advantage of whatever is available. Things like slashing to the basket and rebounding, a lot of little things. I mean, we all know who The Man is here, so you have to respect that and find your niche.

Sam: You play the same position as LeBron James and will likely spend time filling in for him when he needs a breather. Are you confident with that role?

Kinsey: Oh, yeah. You have to be. You have to approach it with confidence and be stress-free. If you work hard over the summer, then there's no reason not to (feel confident). Plus, the coaches here and my teammates have shown a lot of support, and that can carry you a long way.

Sam: You played 48 games with the Grizzlies in 2006-07, averaging 7.7 points a game and leading them in scoring in a few games. Do you feel you've proved you belong in this league?

Kinsey: Yeah, I think I showed it once, but then I had to wait for another opportunity, so now I'm out to show that I still belong in this league. That's what I'm striving for, anyway. And so far it's going pretty well.

Sam: You said your coaches and teammates have showed a lot of support. How so?

Kinsey: They've just made me feel like I belong, and even though I'm new here, that I'm really part of the team. They've been very welcoming, and at the same time, have helped me with some things I need to work on. It's always a challenge to play in this league, but they have made the adjustment to a new city and organization pretty smooth for me. I came to a good situation and I look forward to doing my part to help us win a championship.

Sam Amico is the editor of ProBasketballNews.com and a frequent contributor to SportsTime Ohio and The Cleveland Fan.