Darius Miles found himself in the middle of drama last week. And for once, the much-maligned Miles doesn't feel like the man in the black hat. "I'm just glad I'm not looking like the bad guy, like almost every other time," he told NBA.com on Sunday. "I'm not a bad person." Miles is the first to admit his reputation is hardly unsoiled. His off-the-court issues are well-chronicled, culminating with a recently completed 10-game suspension for violating the league's drug policy. But his name has been bandied about the past few days for other reasons. Miles' comeback from microfracture surgery has been overshadowed by the Portland's brazen attempt to thwart his return. Memphis signed Miles to a 10-day contact Saturday, four days after releasing the small forward and two days after Portland's warning. An e-mail sent to the other 29 teams Thursday threatened legal action against any team that signed Miles for the express purpose of placing the $18 million remaining on his original Portland contract back on the Blazers' books. If Miles plays in two more games, a virtual certainty now, to fulfill a league-mandated 10-game requirement, Portland will be forced to pay $7.9 million in luxury tax this season and its cap space takes a significant hit this summer. Portland's unprecedented threat was immediately condemned by the NBA Players Association. The league quickly followed suit by informing teams it would approve a contract signed with Miles. "I was surprised by it," Miles said of Portland's email. "I didn't really get into it, just let it be. I let my agent, the Players Association and the NBA take care this. I just stay away from it because I just want to be on a team and be somewhere I can call home." Miles' relationship with Portland's front office has deteriorated to a point worse than anything he's dealt with in his surgically-repaired right knee. As detailed by TNT's David Aldridge, the Blazers' campaign to keep Miles out of the NBA began long before Thursday's e-mail. Miles isn't faultless in the falling out. His team suspension following an expletive-laden tirade at former Portland coach Mo Cheeks in 2005 was just one episode in the breakup. However, Miles did resume workouts with the Blazers last season for about two months before being waived in April when an independent doctor declared his injury career-ending. "I want to leave this situation in the past," he said. "It was a bad situation for both parties. I learned from my experience there. I'll never get to a point like that with any other organization for the rest of my career. I'll never clash with any GMs or do anything like that. "I'm a bigger person. I'm a better man now. I just won't let that happen. I want to leave it in the past. It seems like it just haunted me. Going to Boston was like a light on this dark cloud I've had over me the last three years." Miles just wants to play basketball again and it's obvious he's, at worst, a borderline NBA talent again. Several teams worked Miles out this summer and were intrigued by the possibilities. Invited to the Celtics' training camp, Miles was one of the last cuts by the champs. The Grizzlies, obviously, aren't nearly as deep as Boston, so it should stand to reason that Miles has at least a shot of sticking in Memphis. His release last week was a product of finances -- non-guaranteed contracts (Miles had one) became guaranteed Friday -- and the Grizzlies' search for a backup big man with Darko Milicic out. Miles is worth another look. Though he freely admits he won't be the player he once was, even if that version of Miles never realized what many felt was his true potential. Still, the league's history is littered with players who have returned from career-threatening injuries to become serviceable contributors. Grant Hill anyone? And cutting a player only to bring him back isn't an uncommon occurrence in the NBA. Remember, this is a league where traded players are often cut with wink-wink agreements to return to their former teams. "This is what I've been doing since I was 18 years old professionally," Miles said. "I want to continue to do this. This isn't about a money thing. This is about me playing basketball. I want my family to see me play." Miles doesn't wish any ill will toward the Blazers. He considers former teammates such as Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Steve Blake and Greg Oden friends. Miles said he tried to play last season to help ease the loss of Oden, who missed the season after his own microfracture surgery. Miles continues to follow the Blazers. "I want them to make the playoffs," he said. "I want B-Roy to make the All-Star Game again. I don't want to hurt them. I wish I could continue my comeback and we wouldn't have to go through this. I don't want anything bad to happen to their organization. If they didn't have to go through this, it would be better. "Sometimes when you get on an organization's bad side, there ain't no easy way to turn that around. I wanted to fulfill my contract." By "this," Miles is alluding to Portland's $18 million hit. "I'm not doing this to hurt them. I'm doing this to keep my career going on," Miles said. "I could have easily sat back and just been like, 'forget it' and not played. I want to come back and play. I'm not coming back just to make sure Portland puts money on their salary cap. "It doesn't make any sense that I worked hard just to play two more games and then quit just to be on their salary cap. No, I want to play. I want to play for years to come." Miles, 27, hopes to stick in the NBA into his mid-30s. He talked about his 1-year-old son being old enough to remember his dad playing. Reports out of Memphis described Miles' two-game stint, all nine minutes, as promising. He's even looking forward to the possibility of playing against former teammate LeBron James on Tuesday. Miles pronounced his knee as sound. He hasn't dealt with any swelling or pain lately, though the explosiveness isn't back to the level he's hoping for. Miles figures it's only a matter of time since he's playing consistent 5-on-5 basketball for the first time in about four months. "I'm doing something better and better every day," he said. "I'm getting moves back. I'm starting to see the floor. It's a process. I took two years off. I feel I can play on this level. The more I play, the more I practice, everything comes back. "It's just tough to get consistent minutes. I'm going to work my hardest to get back where I was. I've got a lot more experience now. I don't make a lot of mistakes that I used to." Much has happened in two years. Then again, much has remained the same. "Everybody remembers me as this bad, bad guy," Miles said. "Anybody who really knows me knows that I don't really carry myself in that manner or that way. I just want to be on a team and show what I can bring to the table." He's got that chance ... for now. http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/art_garcia/01/11/miles.reaction/index.html I like the guy. I met him once. He was very nice. These quotes sound like they came from that guy. Let's just wish him the best. I hope he does play into his mid 30s.
So why did his determination on getting back on rehab not make the limelight? Oden by far made the effort, setup blogs, video clips, etc. Miles was just hidden behind the scenes and we never knew if he ever wanted to come back and play for the Blazers. Oden certainly did. Sorry Miles, but I never saw any public press on you wanting to come back as a Trailblazer. You're excuses didn't buy any gut feeling that you wanted to become part of this team. I'm sorry but I didn't buy your story.
To be fair, Darius was always a really nice guy. We planned on doing a story when I covered the team to go out and play paintball or something. He was totally down. The guy loves paintball. He's fun to talk to. His mom is really nice too.
Actually, I remember at least one or two stories from the Oregonian about him wanting to come back last year. I just don't think the Blazers wanted him back. I don't think they wanted him to be part of this team. He represented the past. The Jail Blazers. They wanted to start fresh and he wasn't a part of that.
so he is comparing miles' comeback to that of grant hill, who was arguably the best player in the league at one point?
Grant Hill was a very good player and he was one of many people (Miner, Carter, Stackhouse) who were dubbed "the next Jordan" but he was never "arguably the best player in the league." He never even got out of the first round of the playoffs. In fact, he still hasn't!
He had the talent to be the best. He was so versatile. He did everything. Roy reminds me a lot of Grant Hill at that age. Hill was more of a dunker though.
I wish Miles well. He's obviously going to get the 2 games so that really doesn't matter any more. I just hope that's not it that he will get to play somewhere. Hopefully Memphis isn't just doint to screw Portland, but even if they are hopefully some other team will give him a chance.
I highly doubt they'll play him the two games and then cut him. That would be like inviting the lawsuit. If they hold onto him until the end of the year, it should remove any grounds for lawsuit by the Blazers.
It's impossible to prove they are just doing it to screw over Portland even if they just play him two games and cut him. That is what was so stupid about the email. THere is no way to prove it. They can just say they wanted to give him another look and that's it.
It's a shame all this had to happen. But what is more of a shame is that Darius had to screw everything up with his career. Can you imagine if Miles was at his full potential with us at the 3 ?
How in the world does Miles come out of this thing dislpaying more class than the Blazers? I don't really think this issue is a Miles thing. Miles situation is easy, he wants to keep playing (I don't think anyone doubts that). The question is can Miles play and are other GMs signing him just because of the contract situation.
I really hope Darius can find a good team he can help and find a home with. Not a team that will sign him to 10-day contracts and then continually cut him, and aren't really doing it for his benefit. i wish him the best, and honestly don't really care too much about our cap space. If the guy can play, I want him to play. that said, I really hope he doesn't risk his future health and a future knee replacement for playing a couple games for the vets minimum. I don't have any ill will against him, and I hope more Portland fans don't either. I don't think he wants to mess with our cap space at all.
the writer isn't comparing their talent, he's comparing the long period they both missed to injury and that they came back as lessor players then they once were STOMP
obviously not. but it's easier for a player that has lost his athleticism to come back if he can actually play in the first place.
Yet here it is the following season, a year later, and he still gets garbage minutes for a garbage organization. Maybe he wasn't ready to play last season.
