"Finding the right fit at point guard was paramount to the Milwaukee Bucks.

After Luke Ridnour received a four-year, $16 million payday from Minnesota, Bucks management knew it needed a new sidekick for dynamic young point guard Brandon Jennings.

So the Bucks moved quickly to sign 10-year veteran Keyon Dooling, who became a free agent after being released by the New Jersey Nets in late June.

The 6-foot-3 Dooling was introduced Wednesday at the Cousins Center and sounded eager to embrace his new role.

"Luke was phenomenal while he was here, and he was able to be successful in spite of how good Brandon was," Dooling said. "I'll be the backup point guard. I'll come in and execute my role every day. I don't have a problem with that.

"But I'm still hungry to learn."

After the Bucks were convinced that Dooling was healthy again after undergoing hip surgery in May 2009, they signed him to a two-year, $4 million contract.

"Keyon understands the league and what's important," said Bucks assistant general manager Jeff Weltman.

"If you look at any kind of task as saying you have X amount of chips to spend, Keyon knows where to spend his chips. He understands how it works. He's going to help not just Brandon but a lot of our young guys, I think."

Dooling, 30, was the 10th overall pick by the Orlando Magic in the 2000 draft but was immediately traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, where he spent the first four years of his pro career.

He took advantage of a second chance during the 2004-'05 season, when he played with Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade on a Miami Heat team that won 59 games and reached the Eastern Conference finals."