Newest Darius Miles update via Boston.com: C's still interested

[cmburrill]

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/53762/20080727/boston_still_interested_in_darius_miles/

Honestly, why not take a flier on this guy?

Walker will probably play overseas next year.

Giddens isn't going to be contributing regularly for the next 2 years.

Miles is a guy who's proven he can play NBA defense individually. On a team like the Celtics which prides itself in its defensive prowess, I think he would be an asset. Furthrmore, if reports are accurate about his having re-gained a good deal of his athleticism, I say bring him aboard.

Potentially, the Celtics would still have a roster spot open even with Miles aboard for a veteran big man.

The man has to sit for the first 10 games you have him because he was caught taking a dieretic because he can't keep his weight down to perform well.



Add that to the fact that he hasn't played ball in 2 years and that doctors have already proclaimed his injury career endng, and what you have is a basketball player with a fork sticking out of him. He's well done.

  He was using a stimulant to enhance his performance, not to lose weight. Examiners approved by the NBA and PA determined that the injury was severe enough to qualify it as a career ending injury. The qualification was a move to  allow Portland to waive Darius and free up capital. The PA could not afford to fight all the owners on this. Doctors will give their best prognosis but ...ask Ed O'bannon, A Mourning, S. Elliott..there are chances of recovery. A doctor is better off saying no way and have a "miracle", vs saying hes fine then Reggie Lewis dropping.
  If the brass brings him in for a cpl 10 day contracts(which Im sure would make Portland a future trade partner forever more) Iam comfortable with their decision.

[nickagneta]

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/53762/20080727/boston_still_interested_in_darius_miles/

Honestly, why not take a flier on this guy?

Walker will probably play overseas next year.

Giddens isn't going to be contributing regularly for the next 2 years.

Miles is a guy who's proven he can play NBA defense individually. On a team like the Celtics which prides itself in its defensive prowess, I think he would be an asset. Furthrmore, if reports are accurate about his having re-gained a good deal of his athleticism, I say bring him aboard.

Potentially, the Celtics would still have a roster spot open even with Miles aboard for a veteran big man.

The man has to sit for the first 10 games you have him because he was caught taking a dieretic because he can't keep his weight down to perform well.



Add that to the fact that he hasn't played ball in 2 years and that doctors have already proclaimed his injury career endng, and what you have is a basketball player with a fork sticking out of him. He's well done.

  He was using a stimulant to enhance his performance, not to lose weight. Examiners approved by the NBA and PA determined that the injury was severe enough to qualify it as a career ending injury. The qualification was a move to  allow Portland to waive Darius and free up capital. The PA could not afford to fight all the owners on this. Doctors will give their best prognosis but ...ask Ed O'bannon, A Mourning, S. Elliott..there are chances of recovery. A doctor is better off saying no way and have a "miracle", vs saying hes fine then Reggie Lewis dropping.
  If the brass brings him in for a cpl 10 day contracts(which Im sure would make Portland a future trade partner forever more) Iam comfortable with their decision.

NO, he was suspended for taking a dieretic that he did not know contained an amphetamine that was a stimulant. He was taking the same product that got Lindsay Hunter suspended for ten games recently, a diet pill.

If we signed Miles to a couple of ten day contracts Portland might never want to trade with us ever again. If he plays 10 games in either this season or next season, the $18 million that was removed from Portland's cap will be reinstated. Portland would be none to happy if a team signed Darius to a few 10 day contracts, got him in 10 games and then dropped him. The perception that that team was just trying to screw with Portland would be obvious.

Also, they did not free up any capital, they simply had the $18 million removed from their books where counting contracts toward the salry cap and luxury tax were involved. They were still obligated to pay Darius all the money remaining on his contract, which at the time I believe was over $27 million.

I understand the need for caution when doctors have to give a prognosis, but this was a different case than that of the players you listed above. In Mourning's and Elliot's cases, those doctors were doctors that were issuing warnings to their patients about what their return to the game could cause to their long term health and recommended ending their careers due to the transplant surgeries they had. O'Bannon blew out his ACL in college and had it repaired, a surgery that has become quite common for athlete's to return from.

Miles had both a team doctor and an unbiased, arbitration type doctor both determine that a return was unlikely and the injury career ending. In your scenarioes the doctors were giving their advice for maintaining the player's health long term, here doctors were attempting to actually determine if it was possible for him to return. Quite different in my opinion.

Also, for you guys that question why I worry about the contracts because they may eventually affect my decision to continue going to games, I'm sorry but I am not made of money. 2 kids in college, 2 mortgages, and all the rest add up and leave me with only so much entertainment money in the budget. Every time the Celtics do something that may make them less profitable is a time that might make them think about raising ticket prices.

For years I did get the 10 game package. Last year, if I remember right they didn't offer the 10 game package it was 1/2 season only. I didn't buy but was lucky enough to come upon a customer of mine trying to unload part of his season tickets because he knew he couldn't afford the playoff tickets and figured selling some of his package would make up for it. I picked up about 8 games or so off him and went to another game where I bought the tickets at below face value.

So I am not getting hosed by those idiots at StubHub and AceTicket. I going to see if I can squeeze a package into the budget this year but wonder what they are going to be selling. My guess is there's a waiting list and just about everything sold will be the full season package. If so I might be watching a lot more home games on CSN than I have for years.

[EJPLAYA]

The Cs paying a guy like Miles the vet minimum is a drop in the bucket. Anyone worrying about how they spent a couple of bucks (in the NBA world) on filling the back of their roster is clearly worrying a bit too much.

When I buy my Celtics tickets, I don't think "Too bad the signed D Miles for the vet minimum or this ticket would be a dollar cheaper."  Now, when they had a Vin Baker or a Rael LaFrenz taking up 20% of the salary structure, that was reason to complain.  But 2% or less?  Come on.   

It is indeed a drop in the bucket, but it is the slot taken in this case that I think is the big issue. A flyer on a guy who will unlikely ever be healthy enough to be really good will take away from signing a guy like Bonzi who we know comes out and gives you a very solid offense threat off the bench.

I really don't care about the ticket end of things. Give us another championship and we'll get yet another jump in cost.

[crownsy]

The Cs paying a guy like Miles the vet minimum is a drop in the bucket. Anyone worrying about how they spent a couple of bucks (in the NBA world) on filling the back of their roster is clearly worrying a bit too much.

When I buy my Celtics tickets, I don't think "Too bad the signed D Miles for the vet minimum or this ticket would be a dollar cheaper."  Now, when they had a Vin Baker or a Rael LaFrenz taking up 20% of the salary structure, that was reason to complain.  But 2% or less?  Come on.   

It is indeed a drop in the bucket, but it is the slot taken in this case that I think is the big issue. A flyer on a guy who will unlikely ever be healthy enough to be really good will take away from signing a guy like Bonzi who we know comes out and gives you a very solid offense threat off the bench.

I really don't care about the ticket end of things. Give us another championship and we'll get yet another jump in cost.

true EJ, but its not like if someone becomes avalable mid season we can't just cut one of the vet min guys if thier not working out. If its empty chair vs. miles, take miles.

[Roy Hobbs]

The Cs paying a guy like Miles the vet minimum is a drop in the bucket. Anyone worrying about how they spent a couple of bucks (in the NBA world) on filling the back of their roster is clearly worrying a bit too much.

When I buy my Celtics tickets, I don't think "Too bad the signed D Miles for the vet minimum or this ticket would be a dollar cheaper."  Now, when they had a Vin Baker or a Rael LaFrenz taking up 20% of the salary structure, that was reason to complain.  But 2% or less?  Come on.   

It is indeed a drop in the bucket, but it is the slot taken in this case that I think is the big issue. A flyer on a guy who will unlikely ever be healthy enough to be really good will take away from signing a guy like Bonzi who we know comes out and gives you a very solid offense threat off the bench.

I really don't care about the ticket end of things. Give us another championship and we'll get yet another jump in cost.

true EJ, but its not like if someone becomes avalable mid season we can't just cut one of the vet min guys if thier not working out. If its empty chair vs. miles, take miles.

As I see it, our biggest need is a big man (which Danny has admitted).  I think it's better to have an empty chair (to be filled in down the line) than it is to carry a player you don't really need. 

People use the "we could always cut somebody" argument frequently, but the NBA doesn't really work that way.  If you start cutting veteran players simply because you want to give their roster slot to somebody else, you develop a bad reputation around the league.  Pretty soon, the minimum-salary type players don't sign with you any more, and their agents are miffed.

(When is the last time a veteran player was cut mid-season to pick up another player?  Sure, buyouts happen to save money, but cutting a player to upgrade your roster?  I can't think of an instance of that happening with a veteran on a guaranteed contract.)

[greenwise]

I would sign Miles and see how it works out. It would be a really nice story if he could comeback from that injury and play 10-15 min for us. If it doesnt work out, he can be waived later...

[crownsy]

The Cs paying a guy like Miles the vet minimum is a drop in the bucket. Anyone worrying about how they spent a couple of bucks (in the NBA world) on filling the back of their roster is clearly worrying a bit too much.

When I buy my Celtics tickets, I don't think "Too bad the signed D Miles for the vet minimum or this ticket would be a dollar cheaper."  Now, when they had a Vin Baker or a Rael LaFrenz taking up 20% of the salary structure, that was reason to complain.  But 2% or less?  Come on.   

It is indeed a drop in the bucket, but it is the slot taken in this case that I think is the big issue. A flyer on a guy who will unlikely ever be healthy enough to be really good will take away from signing a guy like Bonzi who we know comes out and gives you a very solid offense threat off the bench.

I really don't care about the ticket end of things. Give us another championship and we'll get yet another jump in cost.

true EJ, but its not like if someone becomes avalable mid season we can't just cut one of the vet min guys if thier not working out. If its empty chair vs. miles, take miles.

As I see it, our biggest need is a big man (which Danny has admitted).  I think it's better to have an empty chair (to be filled in down the line) than it is to carry a player you don't really need. 

People use the "we could always cut somebody" argument frequently, but the NBA doesn't really work that way.  If you start cutting veteran players simply because you want to give their roster slot to somebody else, you develop a bad reputation around the league.  Pretty soon, the minimum-salary type players don't sign with you any more, and their agents are miffed.

(When is the last time a veteran player was cut mid-season to pick up another player?  Sure, buyouts happen to save money, but cutting a player to upgrade your roster?  I can't think of an instance of that happening with a veteran on a guaranteed contract.)

I don't really think cutting darius freaking miles, a guy who already gets his entire contract from portland, and is trying to make a comeback that doctors advise against, would really hurt our reputation that much. We'll have to agree to disagree on that one.

Plus, as you said, we would be buying him out, which happens all the time. also, if he produces, he wouldn't be in line to get bought out. I have many concerns about the celtics, our reputation being ruined for bringing back a guy no one else really wants and giving him a  chance to earn even more than his current ridiculous salary and a place back in the NBA, and it not working out is not chief on the list of those concerns.

[Roy Hobbs]

I don't really think cutting darius freaking miles, a guy who already gets his entire contract from portland, and is trying to make a comeback that doctors advise against, would really hurt our reputation that much. We'll have to agree to disagree on that one.

Plus, as you said, we would be buying him out, which happens all the time. also, if he produces, he wouldn't be in line to get bought out. I have many concerns about the celtics, our reputation being ruined for bringing back a guy no one else really wants and giving him a  chance to earn even more than his current ridiculous salary and a place back in the NBA, and it not working out is not chief on the list of those concerns.

If you don't worry about player / team relations, that's because you're underestimating how important they are.  There's a reason that Danny kept a draft promise to Orien Greene, even though he desperately wanted to get out of it.  You don't renege on commitments in the NBA.

Also, let's say best case scenario, Miles works out okay.  How does that help fill the team's biggest need, which is a reliable backup big man?  It seems as though fans want to have a roster full of swing men, and that doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

[crownsy]

I don't really think cutting darius freaking miles, a guy who already gets his entire contract from portland, and is trying to make a comeback that doctors advise against, would really hurt our reputation that much. We'll have to agree to disagree on that one.

Plus, as you said, we would be buying him out, which happens all the time. also, if he produces, he wouldn't be in line to get bought out. I have many concerns about the celtics, our reputation being ruined for bringing back a guy no one else really wants and giving him a  chance to earn even more than his current ridiculous salary and a place back in the NBA, and it not working out is not chief on the list of those concerns.

If you don't worry about player / team relations, that's because you're underestimating how important they are.  There's a reason that Danny kept a draft promise to Orien Greene, even though he desperately wanted to get out of it.  You don't renege on commitments in the NBA.

Also, let's say best case scenario, Miles works out okay.  How does that help fill the team's biggest need, which is a reliable backup big man?  It seems as though fans want to have a roster full of swing men, and that doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

I do worry about team relations, i just think you over value darius miles status around the league. He's not ZO', if some team puts a flyer on him, us or any other, it will be to see if he has anything left. players and coaches will know that. He's not some sure fire vetran that we would be maliciously cutting, he would be a flyer we took on a guy who may not even be worth it.

I just disargee that the league perception of us would be "oh, those evil boston celtics! they got darius to sign and now they stab him in the back!"

i think it would be more along the lines of "huh, sucks that didn't work out, at least he got his shot though."

[nickagneta]

I don't really think cutting darius freaking miles, a guy who already gets his entire contract from portland, and is trying to make a comeback that doctors advise against, would really hurt our reputation that much. We'll have to agree to disagree on that one.

Plus, as you said, we would be buying him out, which happens all the time. also, if he produces, he wouldn't be in line to get bought out. I have many concerns about the celtics, our reputation being ruined for bringing back a guy no one else really wants and giving him a  chance to earn even more than his current ridiculous salary and a place back in the NBA, and it not working out is not chief on the list of those concerns.

If you don't worry about player / team relations, that's because you're underestimating how important they are.  There's a reason that Danny kept a draft promise to Orien Greene, even though he desperately wanted to get out of it.  You don't renege on commitments in the NBA.

Also, let's say best case scenario, Miles works out okay.  How does that help fill the team's biggest need, which is a reliable backup big man?  It seems as though fans want to have a roster full of swing men, and that doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

I do worry about team relations, i just think you over value darius miles status around the league. He's not ZO', if some team puts a flyer on him, us or any other, it will be to see if he has anything left. players and coaches will know that. He's not some sure fire vetran that we would be maliciously cutting, he would be a flyer we took on a guy who may not even be worth it.

I just disargee that the league perception of us would be "oh, those evil boston celtics! they got darius to sign and now they stab him in the back!"

i think it would be more along the lines of "huh, sucks that didn't work out, at least he got his shot though."

And if he gets in ten games and suddenly Portland is adding $18 million back onto their salary tax and then you cut him? That could be interpretted as the evil Boston Celtics playing Red Auerbach games again and trying to screw other teams any way they can.

Good luck with trades with any front office that views it that way. And forget ever trading with the talent laden Trailblazers ever again.

[Cman]

And if he gets in ten games and suddenly Portland is adding $18 million back onto their salary tax and then you cut him? That could be interpretted as the evil Boston Celtics playing Red Auerbach games again and trying to screw other teams any way they can.

Good luck with trades with any front office that views it that way. And forget ever trading with the talent laden Trailblazers ever again.

Good point.  Although I bet DA would love to see some team sign Miles just to mess with Portland.  My guess is that Danny is just trying to fan up a little interest in Miles around the league in the hope that someone signs him.....  I seriously doubt that DA has any interest in Miles otherwise he would have signed him already.

It is like beating a dead horse at this point, but: the team's biggest need right now is a backup big man.

[crownsy]

I don't really think cutting darius freaking miles, a guy who already gets his entire contract from portland, and is trying to make a comeback that doctors advise against, would really hurt our reputation that much. We'll have to agree to disagree on that one.

Plus, as you said, we would be buying him out, which happens all the time. also, if he produces, he wouldn't be in line to get bought out. I have many concerns about the celtics, our reputation being ruined for bringing back a guy no one else really wants and giving him a  chance to earn even more than his current ridiculous salary and a place back in the NBA, and it not working out is not chief on the list of those concerns.

If you don't worry about player / team relations, that's because you're underestimating how important they are.  There's a reason that Danny kept a draft promise to Orien Greene, even though he desperately wanted to get out of it.  You don't renege on commitments in the NBA.

Also, let's say best case scenario, Miles works out okay.  How does that help fill the team's biggest need, which is a reliable backup big man?  It seems as though fans want to have a roster full of swing men, and that doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

I do worry about team relations, i just think you over value darius miles status around the league. He's not ZO', if some team puts a flyer on him, us or any other, it will be to see if he has anything left. players and coaches will know that. He's not some sure fire vetran that we would be maliciously cutting, he would be a flyer we took on a guy who may not even be worth it.

I just disargee that the league perception of us would be "oh, those evil boston celtics! they got darius to sign and now they stab him in the back!"

i think it would be more along the lines of "huh, sucks that didn't work out, at least he got his shot though."

And if he gets in ten games and suddenly Portland is adding $18 million back onto their salary tax and then you cut him? That could be interpretted as the evil Boston Celtics playing Red Auerbach games again and trying to screw other teams any way they can.

Good luck with trades with any front office that views it that way. And forget ever trading with the talent laden Trailblazers ever again.

by that logic we should fear every move ever made. The clippers probley think we had a hand in sam cassell's demands to be bought out, how could we reward him by signing him? I hope some day the clippers forgive us.

And picking up PJ brown probley alienated chicago, who saw one of thier beloved role players retire and then be lured out of retirement by a hated rival. We're probley dead to them as well.

I hope we cleared rajon's improvment with phx, hate for them to think we had inside information and cheated them out fo a pick somehow.

honestly, Its a flyer on a guy who wants to play again. Its not the KG trade. overthink things much?

hopefully all this talk is moot anyway, as i'd rather have a back up bigman, but this "oh we can't hurt portland 's feelings by seeing if this guys any good!" line of overthinking is comical. He is no longer a portland trail blazer, he has a right to attempt a come back, if portland doesn't like it, to bad. The guy should not be blackballed because teams fear portland holding a grudge.

[Roy Hobbs]

Here's an update from Jessica Camerato (one of the better writers over at Hoopsworld):

Internet rumors have indicated that the Boston Celtics are still interested in Darius Miles. The 26-year-old has not played in the NBA since April 15, 2006 after suffering a potentially career-ending knee injury.

Although Miles reportedly impressed the Celtics in an early July workout, the buzz around the league is that Miles is not as ready to return as he would like teams to believe. The Dallas Mavericks brought him in for a thorough workout in which he struggled.

Signing Miles would be a risk for a team who is trying to defend the NBA Championship. Can the Celtics afford to take a chance on a 'maybe' when they need their entire roster to be on point for another title run? GM Danny Ainge's seemingly questionable moves proved to be genius when the Cs won it all; will he add Miles to his list of "Told You So's?"

Link.

I don't think I've ever seen such excitement from an out-of-shape guy with a career-ending injury in my life.  Do people still want to sign Jay Williams, too?

[the_Bird]

Doesn't seem to me that Miles is a good fit here.

Assuming that he CAN make it back, he'll probably take most of the season to really get back.  It's hard to imagine him being a better player this season than say, Bonzi Wells.  Now, two years down the road, if he IS healthy, then yeah - but not likely in '08-'09.  So, I don't see him being a huge help this coming season, and if you're looking for a backup for Pierce, you'd like to see someone whose health you can count on.

Miles really should be looking for a place where he can get some PT.  At this stage of his career, it's more important for him to be someplace he can showcase his health and be a major contributor rather than going to a place just for a chance to tag alongside a winner.  If he can't get much PT this coming year, he's probably done; he'll be on a one-year contract, he needs a chance to re-prove himself.  So, he's really best off playing for a poor/mediocre team this year, get a chance to get some minutes, then look for a better situation in twelve months. 

I do think the C's could use another backup 3, especially given the poor quality of the backup centers who are still available (Elson?  Ratliff?  Is there ANYONE available who actually played last year?).  Gotta be someone you can count on as the 8th/9th man off the bench; to me, that's either Finley (to give some more offensive punch to the second unit and as another true professional), or Bonzi Wells (probably a bit more left in the tank, a headcase but someone that they should be able to handle).  Either of those guys would help out more than Miles NEXT year. 

[nickagneta]

I don't really think cutting darius freaking miles, a guy who already gets his entire contract from portland, and is trying to make a comeback that doctors advise against, would really hurt our reputation that much. We'll have to agree to disagree on that one.

Plus, as you said, we would be buying him out, which happens all the time. also, if he produces, he wouldn't be in line to get bought out. I have many concerns about the celtics, our reputation being ruined for bringing back a guy no one else really wants and giving him a  chance to earn even more than his current ridiculous salary and a place back in the NBA, and it not working out is not chief on the list of those concerns.

If you don't worry about player / team relations, that's because you're underestimating how important they are.  There's a reason that Danny kept a draft promise to Orien Greene, even though he desperately wanted to get out of it.  You don't renege on commitments in the NBA.

Also, let's say best case scenario, Miles works out okay.  How does that help fill the team's biggest need, which is a reliable backup big man?  It seems as though fans want to have a roster full of swing men, and that doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

I do worry about team relations, i just think you over value darius miles status around the league. He's not ZO', if some team puts a flyer on him, us or any other, it will be to see if he has anything left. players and coaches will know that. He's not some sure fire vetran that we would be maliciously cutting, he would be a flyer we took on a guy who may not even be worth it.

I just disargee that the league perception of us would be "oh, those evil boston celtics! they got darius to sign and now they stab him in the back!"

i think it would be more along the lines of "huh, sucks that didn't work out, at least he got his shot though."

And if he gets in ten games and suddenly Portland is adding $18 million back onto their salary tax and then you cut him? That could be interpretted as the evil Boston Celtics playing Red Auerbach games again and trying to screw other teams any way they can.

Good luck with trades with any front office that views it that way. And forget ever trading with the talent laden Trailblazers ever again.

by that logic we should fear every move ever made. The clippers probley think we had a hand in sam cassell's demands to be bought out, how could we reward him by signing him? I hope some day the clippers forgive us.

And picking up PJ brown probley alienated chicago, who saw one of thier beloved role players retire and then be lured out of retirement by a hated rival. We're probley dead to them as well.

I hope we cleared rajon's improvment with phx, hate for them to think we had inside information and cheated them out fo a pick somehow.

honestly, Its a flyer on a guy who wants to play again. Its not the KG trade. overthink things much?

hopefully all this talk is moot anyway, as i'd rather have a back up bigman, but this "oh we can't hurt portland 's feelings by seeing if this guys any good!" line of overthinking is comical. He is no longer a portland trail blazer, he has a right to attempt a come back, if portland doesn't like it, to bad. The guy should not be blackballed because teams fear portland holding a grudge.

The difference is that signing those guys didn't add an $18 million penalty to the team's salary cap over two years which would hamper their ability to make moves.

Come on now. That's pretty simple to see.