Even if he's healthy and motivated, two huge ifs, Miles doesn't fill a specific need for us. He doesn't space the floor, a career .168 3PT shooter, and he's a poor defender, despite his length and occasionally gaudy blocks and steals. He lacks the strength to defend the post, the quickness to defend the perimeter; as well as focus and a lot of the fundamentals.
"I feel like I'm a starter in this league -- on a lot of teams I really should be a starter,"
Miles has never been starting line-up material. He had six years to establish himself in the NBA, and playing time handed to him even when his production and work ethic didn't warrant it. Now he's coming off a "career ending injury," has a 10 game steroid abuse suspension looming over his head, and admits he isn't yet in game shape.
"I wouldn't label him as a bad guy,'' said an assistant coach who has spent time with Miles in the NBA. "I've wondered if he loves to play. Because he was such a prodigy in AAU, he was always handled with kid gloves, so in the NBA he couldn't take somebody always being on him. But I don't think of him as a 'cancer'-type person in the locker room. I don't think he has the personality to have that kind of impact on his teammates.''
Hardly high praise, maybe doesn't love basketball, needs to be handled delicately (but KG is his role-model?), at least he doesn't have a strong enough personality to develop into a locker room cancer.
It's not even about the salary. It's a roster spot I'd rather see go to one of the rookies, or House or Tony Allen or a veteran 3/4 who's taken advantage of his chances.