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

[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.

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.

but the main point remains, are we going to be basing moves based on wheather it hurts peoples feelings or not? suddenly he's not allowed to earn a living because portland would get it's feelings hurt? please.

It's buisness, and the man deserves a chance if he impresses a team. It just doesn't fly with me that portland is the victim here. Its not like miles is "pulling a fast" one on them or something. He was hurt, he thinks he can play, if he can, he deserve's his shot.

and again, i'm not advocating us signing him, unless there is just no one else we want, period. rather sign a big man, far and away. but count me out of the "well, we better do whats best for portland" way of justifing not bringing him in.

[Chris]

but the main point remains, are we going to be basing moves based on wheather it hurts peoples feelings or not? suddenly he's not allowed to earn a living because portland would get it's feelings hurt? please.

It's buisness, and the man deserves a chance if he impresses a team. It just doesn't fly with me that portland is the victim here. Its not like miles is "pulling a fast" one on them or something. He was hurt, he thinks he can play, if he can, he deserve's his shot.

I am with you here.  Considering the C's weren't given any cap relief when Reggie Lewis DIED, if Portland really got annoyed that they lost the relief they were given, just because the player actually made his way back to full health, well, I have no sympathy for them.

This is a business.  If Miles is able to return, the only thing that should be stopping him is his own abilities and health, not Portland's payroll.

[hpantazo]

but the main point remains, are we going to be basing moves based on wheather it hurts peoples feelings or not? suddenly he's not allowed to earn a living because portland would get it's feelings hurt? please.

It's buisness, and the man deserves a chance if he impresses a team. It just doesn't fly with me that portland is the victim here. Its not like miles is "pulling a fast" one on them or something. He was hurt, he thinks he can play, if he can, he deserve's his shot.

I am with you here.  Considering the C's weren't given any cap relief when Reggie Lewis DIED, if Portland really got annoyed that they lost the relief they were given, just because the player actually made his way back to full health, well, I have no sympathy for them.

This is a business.  If Miles is able to return, the only thing that should be stopping him is his own abilities and health, not Portland's payroll.

although I have no sympathy for portland either, I think if ainge signs miles to a short contract, he will decide on wether or not to keep him before miles reaches the 10 games needed to get his salary back on the blazer's cap, because ainge has been very smart at maintaining good relationships with people around the league and it looks to be paying off.

[cordobes]

If we sign Miles and then cut him after 10 games or slightly more, that would raise some (justifiable) suspicions. Anyway, Portland would still be able to retain the cap space, as they could request another medical examination to his knee after his release.

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?

Ditto.

[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.

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.

He was using the very addictive ****. There is no way he had no idea that this did not qualify as a product on the NBA's ban. Its a stimulant like i said,, his agent Jeff Weshler can spin it anyway he wants. If you take one of those diet pills, you ll see. Youll see why its banned. Pure speed and endurance. Its an athletes wonder drug...They wonder why they never heard of it before. Oh yeah people die from it.
[/quote]

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.

[/quote]

Sounds like collusion. If a need is met by Miles...no one has the right to deny him opportunity. Including releasing confidential info.Paul Allen owns the radio station which employs the news coloumist that broke the story. They should try to buy his contract out...C's stay out of that.

[/quote]

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.

[/quote]
 
 Look he is getting paid by the Trail Blazers insurance company (I believe the top five or six salaries per team are to be insured as a requirement by those companies ) not by the team. He has 18 million remaining on his contract. Waiving Miles became moot by the declaration of "a career ending injury"

[/quote]

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.

[/quote]

  What?  This Portland franchise is a mess. Miles health was not the only issue with him and the Trail Blazers.I am saying four teams worked him out.His NBA appointed Doctor diagnosed him with a "Career Ending Injury" This opens the door for Luxury Tax exemptions(not transferable if player is traded)... Waiving the Player will not do.This team is still paying Theo Ratliff.(Soft cap, you wont see it)  This rule has been shortened from two years of rehab to one. Look his contract was awful to begin with. The rule benefits everyone. I read that he tried to come back but I believe the shortened year to declare his ability to play was not enough. ...Again with all these awful contracts and soft capping tons.

[/quote]

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.

[/quote]

Miles will play for peanuts...Portlands footing the bill. He wants the vet min. I hope that C's gear helps foot the bill. Who owns Nesn?

[/quote]

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.

[/quote]

[nickagneta]

My whole stance on this came about by cmburrill's statement to signing him to a couple of ten day contracts and then cutting him. I think that would appear to be very fishy if he got into 10 games and then wasn't picked up for the season.

If the team doctors conclude that he can not only pass a physical but their pronosis is that his knee is able to withstand a year, fine sign him. I personally don't think he's worth the headaches he can create considering his past history and I would much prefer a big man as well.

But I think it would be a bad move on for the team relations end to sign him and play him just over his ten game limit and then release him, cut him, buy him out, whatever you want to call it.

Because if that happens and Portland has to add that money to the cap and also lose the insurance paying most of Miles' salary, the perception around the league would not be good.

Say what you want about the good intentions of trying to give a guy a living and giving him every chance available but that won't play in the eyes of GMs around the league.

Of course that would be all solved by simply never allowing him to reach that 10 game plateau if it appears he can't crack your rotation.

[greenwise]

Can't the Celtics doctors examine his knee prior to a potential signing? I mean, if they detect the knee is fine enough to play a season, then we should definitely add Miles to the roster. If healthy, he is a big and athletic guy to play at the small forward spot. Plus, he would come for the minimum. We could always sign a big and try and send a rookie overseas for the season...

[hardlyyardley]

miles' doc is the same one who examined arroyo, the boston firefighter

give him a partially guaranteed contract...miles that is

[greenwise]

By the way, if the Celtics felt like offering Miles a contract, would they need to wait for Ainge to return from his holidays to make this or can they agree on it before? I know it may sound naive but, i am just wondering if something can happen soon

[crownsy]

My whole stance on this came about by cmburrill's statement to signing him to a couple of ten day contracts and then cutting him. I think that would appear to be very fishy if he got into 10 games and then wasn't picked up for the season.

If the team doctors conclude that he can not only pass a physical but their pronosis is that his knee is able to withstand a year, fine sign him. I personally don't think he's worth the headaches he can create considering his past history and I would much prefer a big man as well.

But I think it would be a bad move on for the team relations end to sign him and play him just over his ten game limit and then release him, cut him, buy him out, whatever you want to call it.

Because if that happens and Portland has to add that money to the cap and also lose the insurance paying most of Miles' salary, the perception around the league would not be good.

Say what you want about the good intentions of trying to give a guy a living and giving him every chance available but that won't play in the eyes of GMs around the league.

Of course that would be all solved by simply never allowing him to reach that 10 game plateau if it appears he can't crack your rotation.

yea, that would be a scumbag move, i agree nick.

I was sayign if we wanted to make him the flyer, then cut him like 60 games in if he's not working out to sign a late season buyout, ala' PJ.

[EJPLAYA]

I think my point is that if you are going to take another chance on a player it ought to be a big man. This way if it works out great, if not you can cut him for another big man (maybe PJ). I would rather have 2 shots at a big man working out than 1 shot at a wing and one shot at a big. It is much more likely that neither will work out that way.

The only way I want that spot filled with a wing is if we know pretty certain the guy can step in and give us something. (like Bonzi and his known offensive strength)

[Chris]

but the main point remains, are we going to be basing moves based on wheather it hurts peoples feelings or not? suddenly he's not allowed to earn a living because portland would get it's feelings hurt? please.

It's buisness, and the man deserves a chance if he impresses a team. It just doesn't fly with me that portland is the victim here. Its not like miles is "pulling a fast" one on them or something. He was hurt, he thinks he can play, if he can, he deserve's his shot.

I am with you here.  Considering the C's weren't given any cap relief when Reggie Lewis DIED, if Portland really got annoyed that they lost the relief they were given, just because the player actually made his way back to full health, well, I have no sympathy for them.

This is a business.  If Miles is able to return, the only thing that should be stopping him is his own abilities and health, not Portland's payroll.

although I have no sympathy for portland either, I think if ainge signs miles to a short contract, he will decide on wether or not to keep him before miles reaches the 10 games needed to get his salary back on the blazer's cap, because ainge has been very smart at maintaining good relationships with people around the league and it looks to be paying off.

I think that is the last thing on Ainge's mind.  If he signs Miles, it will be because he thinks he can help the team.  If he cuts him, it will be because he realized he was wrong.

Ainge is not going to waste the owners money, and his roster space just to screw over Portland, just like he is not going to sign someone he likes, and cut them, just to save Portland some money (unless of course they send something his way as repayment).

Now, it is not out of the question that a team in portland's division might sign Miles, just to mess with Portland's cap...but again, Portland has no right to have a problem with that.  There is no written or unwritten rule against that. 

[cmburrill]

 Nickagenta...Miles calling Mo Cheeks...Family blog translation->Uncle Tom certainly makes signing this  giant TA difficult. I mean  he has always had TO issues and according to some of Oregon's periodicals, he may influence younger players unfavorably .


 either way he will still play for peanuts, His agents says vet min. if i was Portland's GM I would work with him...see if hes legit then work out a buyout if needed. A buyout would benefit Darius' availability to be signed if inevitable, and  make the suffering from 18mil with lux tax. these guys are like 81 million now with out knucklehead Miles.

[wdleehi]

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?

Posters want Shaun Livingston and Ratliff as well.

[tapper]

If you offer Miles the vet minimum, no garantee , bring him in and see what he has. I believe that Portland will have to pay him the balance of his 18 mil, so the money we pay is not a factor.If he can be close to what he was, we can offer him a ring, not too many other teams come close