http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/articles/2008/10/26/big_rebound_on_tap/?page=2 Do you care or believe that Portland would put negative information into the NBA grapevine about Darius, and if so is it true or a partial truth. I personally think that they are describing the Darius to teams that didn't work out after his microfracture and gained weight. Now Miles may have a new outlook on life but the Blazers would be doing a disservice to anyone inquiring about Miles to not mention the lapses in hard work.
It's probably against the law if Portland were to "put out" bad info on Miles in the hopes of affecting whether or not he gets signed. I would imagine Portland was asked as a reference and in this case there is nothing wrong with speaking candidly if they so choose to.
Portland has every right to tell the truth about Darius Miles. If you recall, he was the player who screamed racial epithets at coach Maurice Cheeks and chased him down a hallway using the "N" word. The guy is a piece of trash, and any team considering signing him needs to know that.
I'd love to hear some details as to what negative things the Blazers are sayings. I bet it's all factual statements. There's no need to come out and say Darius is a bad kid. His actions have spoken much louder than any words from KP and CO. ever could.
Pritchard was recently quoted saying that DM's knee was one of the worst X-Rays he'd ever seen. Saying just that is enough to throw up a red flag for teams to not sign him up on a whim. The Celts gave him good run in the preseason games giving the whole league a chance to see what he's capable of and yet no one seems interested. I don't think it's his personality/history that has dried up the interest and it seems really silly to believe KP is throwing dirt on a guy who still could play. An unathletic Darius Miles is just not an intriguing player STOMP
So, an NBA GM says Portland is putting out bad info about Darius. Two observations. A) If you think it is bad info, why doesn't YOUR team sign him, Mr Un-named GM? B) Are you implying that the Clips and Cavs aren't saying the same kinds of things....or did you not bother to ask?
Sounds like the Boston reporter was talking to Ainge. What other GM would be talking about Miles with a Boston writer. Ainge being the little Bitch he always has been since he was at North Eugene, wants to rag on Pritchard because he is still humiliated over the BROY trade. (Even though Boston has done just fine without him) But Ainge is not going to let it go. I don't doubt Portland has given their opinion on Darius when asked. I doubt they have a smear campaign going on though.
If anything, I think it would definitely NOT be in Portland's interest to create a smear campaign against Darius; that would give the distinct whiff of tampering and indicate that there is some kind of desperation in the Blazers management to keep him off the court... that would be the kind of thing that would almost certainly increase interest in Darius, not diminish it around the league. Darius has a public record of behavior (good, bad or ugly) there's no need for the team to do anything but let that record speak for itself.
Poor, bitter Danny. He gets fleeced by Pritchard on the Telfair deal, recovers to win the freaking championship, yet still can't get over it. Now he sees "good Darius", the charmer, for a month, and has to take a dig at the Blazers. If Darius is so good, why the f**k didn't he get minutes in the pre-season for a veteran team like the Celtics?
If a team wants to give him a guaranteed contract, sure. 10-day contracts won't do it. You don't play ten games in ten days...one 10-day contract won't be enough for him to serve out his suspension, so two 10-day contracts won't be sufficient for him to serve his suspension and play the ten games necessary to hurt Portland's cap space. And two 10-day contracts is the maximum number you can sign a player to in one year. Will a team give Miles a guaranteed contract for a full season? Maybe. But it's certainly not inevitable. Miles looking completely useless this pre-season lends credence to the belief that he can't play anymore.
First, he has to play those 10 games in ONE season, not over the next two. Second, he first has to serve a 10 game suspension. Third, that GM sounds like someone who doesn't want to see Portland get the cap space coming to them. Fourth, even if Darius does find someone to sign him, pay him (with the money going to the NBA) for 10 games while he's suspended and then play him 10 games, the Blazers still will appeal him being put back on the cap. And the Blazers are confident the NBA will see it their way. The Blazers don't have to do very much to "bad mouth" Darius; Miles' record speaks for itself.
Who says it has to be the same team? A couple of teams could take a look at a vet for a potential fit throughout the season.
One team is going to use two 10-day contracts just to help Miles get past his suspension and then let him go, with Miles having played virtually no games for them, so that a different team can use 10-day contracts to have Miles play games for them? I find that incredibly unlikely.
I think it's either 10 games this season, for this years salary, and 10 games in next year for that years salary. But I do know it's not 10 games over the next 2 seasons.
There's little cost involved in a 10-day contract. If they have the roster spot available, maybe they'll think he's worth a closer look in case he can contribute during the year. He doesn't have to see game time (i.e. during the suspension) for it to be worth an in-season tryout on a 10-day contract. If they cut him loose, there's less disincentive at that point for another team to take a look.
