Miles only needs to play 2 more games to screw the Blazers

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

Until now, Portland Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard had a secret it appears most of the NBA hadn’t taken the time to discover for itself: Darius Miles is on the brink of blowing up the Blazers’ salary-cap space.

Most of the NBA believed Miles still was eight regular-season games away from devastating the Blazers’ salary cap, but Yahoo! Sports learned on Wednesday that Miles is just two games away.

Teams had been under the impression that the league’s collective bargaining agreement demanded that Miles play 10 regular-season or postseason games for the $18 million – which is split evenly between this and next season – to return to the Blazers’ payroll.


All along, the Blazers knew exactly that the preseason games counted, but a league official said Wednesday night, “He wanted to keep it quiet.”


Apparently, no team had called the league for clarification on the rule that states the season is constituted by the “first day of training camp and ending immediately after the last game of the NBA Finals.”

The league office confirmed to Yahoo! Sports that the six preseason games that Miles played for the Boston Celtics counts toward the 10. Before the Memphis Grizzlies waived him on Tuesday night to avoid guaranteeing his contract for the rest of the season, Miles played two regular-season games that pushed him to eight total.

Any team in the NBA simply can sign Miles to a 10-day contract, play him twice and punch out one of the summer’s top free-agent destinations. The Blazers are a prime destination for free agents, and the cap space also made them a fierce competitor for sign-and-trade deals. If Miles returns to the salary cap, he also will push Portland into the luxury tax. That means every team under the tax would benefit with about $250,000 of revenue sharing from Portland.

Most NBA executives are reveling in the fact that clogging the Portland cap could be a way to slow the rapid rise of the franchise. Beyond that, there is a level of jealousy over the way that Portland’s owner, Paul Allen, buys up draft picks from poorer teams for his GM to use.

All in all, league executives have been rooting hard for Miles to play those 10 games after he missed two years with a knee injury that Portland and league doctors declared was career-ending.

“Someone is going to scoop him up and play him those two games now,” one Eastern Conference executive said when told the news on Wednesday night. “Portland is screwed.”

One West GM thinks the Denver Nuggets, who moved under the luxury tax threshold on Wednesday, will be motivated to sign Miles.

Another GM wondered whether the Blazers might pick Miles off waivers and just keep him on the bench, although it’s unlikely the NBA would allow that. Portland also has been collecting insurance money on Miles, and it just seems too unlikely that Allen and Pritchard would go to such an extreme. Nevertheless, the Blazers have an incredible amount to lose here.

When reached on Wednesday night, Jeff Weschler, Miles’ agent, said he suspected the rule clarification might be true but had yet to get a confirmation from the NBA.

“We’re not focused on that,” he said. “Our focus is on Darius getting back and playing ball again. Our focus is not trying to hurt the Blazers.”



http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AqIz6EN4c.dtDmcDUoNU3rW8vLYF?slug=aw-milesblazers010709&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Do it Stan! Bring him for 2 games :smokin

[Chieflion]

Screwing the Blazers' possible future dynasty. Lets see which team would be the most cruel team.

[mountainballer]

it's not the case that the Blazers would be screwed.
yes, it will hurt them, but the biggest damage would be that their rise is decelerated for one season. if they focus on the 2010 free agency (which is likely), this won't hurt their long term plans much. Blazers will have a boatload of cap space in 2010 so or so.
what hurts are the millions of additional lux tax they would have to pay, on the other hand, compared to all the millions Allen has burned in the past, this looks like peanuts.

[timvp]

The Spurs need to pick up Miles. First of all, the Blazers were bragging about how they stole Batum. This would be some nice payback.

Secondly, Miles has two blocks in his 10 minutes of action. Long three? Blocked shots?

I'll take it.

:smokin

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Timvp, which team do you think will do it? Jazz? Nuggets? Eventually someone will IMO but I don't think it'd be Pop, he's too classy and he also knows that someone will do the dirty job.

Also, do you think there is anything on or off the table portland could do to prevent it? That's a whole lot of money wasted for them, even for Paul Allen.

[timvp]

Timvp, which team do you think will do it? Jazz? Nuggets? Eventually someone will IMO but I don't think it'd be Pop, he's too classy and he also knows that someone will do the dirty job.

Also, do you think there is anything on or off the table portland could do to prevent it? That's a whole lot of money wasted for them, even for Paul Allen.

Don't think Portland could do anything to prevent it. If they even tried, the players' union would go after the Blazers.

I think if Miles gets through waivers that the Grizzlies will pick him back up. I don't think they finished evaluating him. They could sign him to a pair of 10-day contracts to continue to figure out if he has anything left.

[m33p0]

low-risk, high-yield and a chance to fistf*ck portland? why not?

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

it's not the case that the Blazers would be screwed.
yes, it will hurt them, but the biggest damage would be that their rise is decelerated for one season. if they focus on the 2010 free agency (which is likely), this won't hurt their long term plans much. Blazers will have a boatload of cap space in 2010 so or so.
what hurts are the millions of additional lux tax they would have to pay, on the other hand, compared to all the millions Allen has burned in the past, this looks like peanuts.

Exactly, storm in a teacup. So the young Blazers wait one more season until 2010 to sign a veteran leader (by which time they'll be ready to explode), and Paul Allen shells out a few more millions... ho hum.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

I agree generally, but it's a funny situation which presents a possibility for some teams to even try blackmailing the Blazers, as they're totally unable to do anything at all like you said.

A Vaughn for Batum trade like someone suggested lol then we sign and keep Miles on the bench. I'm not being serious here of course but you see my point. I think the NBA might have to do something if some dodgy suggestions like this one start being rumoured.

[baseline bum]

If no one signs Miles and plays him, the NBA should investigate... or maybe the FBI. Seriously.

[Bruno]

From what I've read everywhere, the CBA isn't clear at all about Miles case. There area lot of dark areas and I wouldn't be surprised if this story end up with an arbitration.

It now looks likely that Grizzlies will sign him to oen or two 10 days contract and screw Blaers. Even if preseason games doesn't count, 2 10 days contract is long enough for Miles to play 8 games.

Grizzlies interest is triple :
First, they will get $300K in escrow share which is the more than the cost of two 10 days contract.
Second, they will be, like the Blazers under the cap in 2009. Their interest is to weaken an opponent for the 2009 FA class.
Third, they help Lakers to weaken one of their rival.

The CBA also says that teams can't use loophole in the CBA. One can argue that Portland try to do that by exaggerating Miles injury but one can argue that Memphis is also doing that by suiting just long enough to screw another team.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

If no one signs Miles and plays him, the NBA should investigate... or maybe the FBI. Seriously.

I've been thinking more along the lines of : Miles suddenly deciding to call it a career and retire wink wink.

[mountainballer]

The Spurs need to pick up Miles. First of all, the Blazers were bragging about how they stole Batum. This would be some nice payback.

Secondly, Miles has two blocks in his 10 minutes of action. Long three? Blocked shots?

I'll take it.

:smokin

pay back to the Blazers? they just did smart business, if there is a team we can blame for the Batum story, it's the Rockets.
however, I also don't think Spurs should burn all bridges to the Blazers by signing Miles. Blazers traditionally have been one of our business partners and looking at their roster I see quite some nice options for business with them.
(is it just me, or do some others also think that Ike Diogu, for a adequate low price of course, might be worth a try? same goes for Frye, but he would likely cost more than we can offer)

[benefactor]

From what I've read everywhere, the CBA isn't clear at all about Miles case. There area lot of dark areas and I wouldn't be surprised if this story end up with an arbitration.

It now looks likely that Grizzlies will sign him to oen or two 10 days contract and screw Blaers. Even if preseason games doesn't count, 2 10 days contract is long enough for Miles to play 8 games.

Grizzlies interest is triple :
First, they will get $300K in escrow share which is the more than the cost of two 10 days contract.
Second, they will be, like the Blazers under the cap in 2009. Their interest is to weaken an opponent for the 2009 FA class.
Third, they help Lakers to weaken one of their rival.

The CBA also says that teams can't use loophole in the CBA. One can argue that Portland try to do that by exaggerating Miles injury but one can argue that Memphis is also doing that by suiting just long enough to screw another team.
This was the first thing that came to my mind after reading this article. Memphis is one of the few teams that will have cap room in 2009 and will probably steal a player while everyone else is eyeballing 2010. It would be foolish of them not to sign Miles long enough to take Portland out of the running.

TBQH...its not about screwing anyone. The NBA is a business just like any other business and making moves that give you a significant advantage over the competition is what keeps your business alive. It's not Memphis' fault that Portland invested in a player and he didn't pan out...and it's not underhanded for Memphis to look out for their own interests. Anyone who has been a part of this league for an extended period of time knows that success or failure could come down to one pick, one trade or one signing. I see nothing wrong with Memphis doing what they have to do to find themselves in position to possibly be in that one moment.

[mountainballer]

I see nothing wrong with Memphis doing what they have to do to find themselves in position to possibly be in that one moment.

?
Grizzlies have waived him before the 10 games were played. if they wanted to make sure that Blazers don't have cap space in 2009, they would have needed to play him 2 more games. what they didn't.

[m33p0]

adrian wojnarowski's column on the topic: (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AnE9rUfOraZjTfJO5O5zE.w5nYcB?slug=aw-milesblazers010709&prov=yhoo&type=lgns)


Blazers’ magic number for cap turmoil: 2

By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports 8 hours, 14 minutes ago

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Yahoo! Sports

Until now, Portland Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard had a secret it appears most of the NBA hadn’t taken the time to discover for itself: Darius Miles is on the brink of blowing up the Blazers’ salary-cap space.

Most of the NBA believed Miles still was eight regular-season games away from devastating the Blazers’ salary cap, but Yahoo! Sports learned on Wednesday that Miles is just two games away.

Teams had been under the impression that the league’s collective bargaining agreement demanded that Miles play 10 regular-season or postseason games for the $18 million – which is split evenly between this and next season – to return to the Blazers’ payroll.

All along, the Blazers knew exactly that the preseason games counted, but a league official said Wednesday night, “He wanted to keep it quiet.”

Apparently, no team had called the league for clarification on the rule that states the season is constituted by the “first day of training camp and ending immediately after the last game of the NBA Finals.”

The league office confirmed to Yahoo! Sports that the six preseason games that Miles played for the Boston Celtics counts toward the 10. Before the Memphis Grizzlies waived him on Tuesday night to avoid guaranteeing his contract for the rest of the season, Miles played two regular-season games that pushed him to eight total.

Any team in the NBA simply can sign Miles to a 10-day contract, play him twice and punch out one of the summer’s top free-agent destinations. The Blazers are a prime destination for free agents, and the cap space also made them a fierce competitor for sign-and-trade deals. If Miles returns to the salary cap, he also will push Portland into the luxury tax. That means every team under the tax would benefit with about $250,000 of revenue sharing from Portland.

Most NBA executives are reveling in the fact that clogging the Portland cap could be a way to slow the rapid rise of the franchise. Beyond that, there is a level of jealousy over the way that Portland’s owner, Paul Allen, buys up draft picks from poorer teams for his GM to use.

All in all, league executives have been rooting hard for Miles to play those 10 games after he missed two years with a knee injury that Portland and league doctors declared was career-ending.

“Someone is going to scoop him up and play him those two games now,” one Eastern Conference executive said when told the news on Wednesday night. “Portland is screwed.”

One West GM thinks the Denver Nuggets, who moved under the luxury tax threshold on Wednesday, will be motivated to sign Miles.

Another GM wondered whether the Blazers might pick Miles off waivers and just keep him on the bench, although it’s unlikely the NBA would allow that. Portland also has been collecting insurance money on Miles, and it just seems too unlikely that Allen and Pritchard would go to such an extreme. Nevertheless, the Blazers have an incredible amount to lose here.

When reached on Wednesday night, Jeff Weschler, Miles’ agent, said he suspected the rule clarification might be true but had yet to get a confirmation from the NBA.

“We’re not focused on that,” he said. “Our focus is on Darius getting back and playing ball again. Our focus is not trying to hurt the Blazers.”

[Trainwreck2100]

As Bruno mentioned this makes perfect sense for any team under the cap, one ten day contract is less then the 250k they'd get from the Blazers so its instant profit.

[MoSpur]

I hope the Spurs sign him. It would be really funny and you never know. He might block more shots than Oberto.

[mrspurs]

Block more shots then Fab? lol Maybe this is why Tlong hasnt been coming around much. There is no doubt in my mind that Pop could teach this kid something. But to sign him for just screwing over the Blazers money is quite........Eval......

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

The other added bonus is that Darius has those 'crazy eyes' of his to scare the opposition.



Pull the trigger Pop!!

[DPG21920]

Never the less, this is an interesting twist, and who knows the outcome and the ripple effect it can have.

[benefactor]

?
Grizzlies have waived him before the 10 games were played. if they wanted to make sure that Blazers don't have cap space in 2009, they would have needed to play him 2 more games. what they didn't.
My statement was geared more towards the future than what has happened already. Perhaps they are thinking that someone will take a chance on him and they won't have to worry about it. What I was referring to is if that doesn't happen it obviously would be in Memphis' best interest to go ahead and give him a 10 day and get him in a couple of games....and that I see nothing shady about doing that.

[pad300]

The Spurs need to pick up Miles. First of all, the Blazers were bragging about how they stole Batum. This would be some nice payback.

Secondly, Miles has two blocks in his 10 minutes of action. Long three? Blocked shots?

I'll take it.

:smokin


As a 7 year vet, his minimum salary is $1,070,118. Fernandez is getting $1,084,080, and Batum is getting $1,040,640. Sign Miles, play him one game, and then offer to trade him (+ Possibly second round picks or cash) to Portland for either Batum or Fernandez... At that point, Portland can accept the trade (and keep him until the roster finalization deadline - 16 April IIRC), and save their capspace or pay the price...

We trade their ability to protect their future capspace, in return for a prospect. This is called good business.

[MoSpur]

Well, I am sure the $250K for those teams under wouldn't hurt at times like these when the economy is not at its best.

[MoSpur]

What do you think Miles feels knowing that some team might sign him just to get those $250K and to mess up the the Trailblazers future?

[xtremesteven33]

Id sign him. Couldnt hurt.....

[Man In Black]

Where is TLONG? :toast

[FromWayDowntown]

As a 7 year vet, his minimum salary is $1,070,118. Fernandez is getting $1,084,080, and Batum is getting $1,040,640. Sign Miles, play him one game, and then offer to trade him (+ Possibly second round picks or cash) to Portland for either Batum or Fernandez... At that point, Portland can accept the trade (and keep him until the roster finalization deadline - 16 April IIRC), and save their capspace or pay the price...

I'd be absolutely shocked if the league would allow Portland to re-acquire Miles, given that the Blazers instigated proceedings to have his career declared over. It would be a really absurd thing for the league to allow a team to hold the rights to a player after that team had affirmatively sought to have any obligations to the player removed from its books.

[hater]

Before declaring the Blazers a dynasty I would like to see Oden show some signs. Blazers are a mediocre team and would not get past 1st round of playoffs. why even bother with this crap?

[pad300]

I'd be absolutely shocked if the league would allow Portland to re-acquire Miles, given that the Blazers instigated proceedings to have his career declared over. It would be a really absurd thing for the league to allow a team to hold the rights to a player after that team had affirmatively sought to have any obligations to the player removed from its books.

I suppose that we could offer up Udoka (or Vaughn) in place of Miles, and keep Miles on our roster w/o playing, but come on, where your sense of humour... It makes perfect sense that they wouldn't play him - their medical staff has already declared that his career is over...

[JamStone]

why even bother with this crap?

To prevent them from getting a quality player in free agency this summer. Because this summer will be the last before they have to start dedicating major money in re-signing their draft pick players that are still on rookie contracts. This will be the last summer for the Blazers to get a quality veteran player that is worth more than the MLE to help fill some of their holes. Maybe they want to add a veteran small forward so they can move Outlaw (whose contract expires the following year and will be hard to retain him) while developing Batum. They might try to get Turkoglu or Odom. Maybe they want that veteran point guard to upgrade from Steve Blake and they go after Andre Miller or Mike Bibby. Whether you think any of those players will help the Blazers or not, if Miles' $9 million for next year goes back on the Blazers' payroll, they won't have the ability to get those players unless they take the MLE or less. They might not be a dynasty, but they're already a pretty talented team that could use some veteran leadership at a couple positions to really try to get them into serious contention. Why take the risk if you can prevent it with minimal effort and money (by NBA standards)?

[Austin_Toros]

please please please please please play 2 more games!!!
i would LOVE to see Portland get screwed over. haha!

some team out there would sign him.

[tp2021]

Well, whoever does decide to sign Miles, possibly except for the Griz, will never get any favors from Pritchard in the future.

[Allanon]

What tp2021 says. ^^

I don't think any team is gonna cause Miles to hurt the Blazers salary cap.

Any GM who's willing to do it will forever be on Pritchard's shit list. Seeing as the Blazers have all that great talent on their team, I don't think any GM is willing to give up their chances of doing business with the Blaze in the future.

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

The Portland Trail Blazers have issued an unusual warning to rival NBA teams who are thinking about hiring their former player, Darius Miles: Put Miles on the court, say the Blazers, and we may sue you.
"The Portland Trail Blazers will take all necessary steps to safeguard its rights, including, without limitation, litigation,'' wrote Blazers president Larry Miller in an e-mail addressed late Thursday night to all NBA team presidents and general managers. SI.com was provided access to the memo by an NBA team executive.
Miles underwent microfracture surgery to repair his right knee as a member of the Trail Blazers in November 2006. He was released by Portland last April after his injury was judged to be "career-ending'' by an independent medical examiner appointed by the NBA and the players union.
Miles, 27, has attempted a comeback this season, playing a total of eight exhibition and regular-season games with the Boston Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies, who waived him Tuesday to avoid having to guarantee his contract for the rest of the season. The 6-foot-9 Miles had two rebounds and two blocks in seven minutes during his final game with Memphis on Tuesday.
If Miles were to be picked up by an NBA team and play in two more NBA games, his original $9 million salary for this season as well as next season would be reinstated to Portland's official payroll, pushing the Blazers over the luxury tax threshold this season -- costing them millions of dollars -- while hurting their chances to sign a major free agent this summer.
Here is the full text of Miller's statement that was dispatched to rival teams Thursday:
"Team Presidents and General Managers,
"The Portland Trail Blazers are aware that certain teams may be contemplating signing Darius Miles to a contract for the purpose of adversely impacting the Portland Trail Blazers Salary Cap and tax positions. Such conduct from a team would violate its fiduciary duty as an NBA joint venturer. In addition, persons or entities involved in such conduct may be individually liable to the Portland Trail Blazers for tortuously interfering with the Portland Trail Blazers' contract rights and perspective economic opportunities.
"Please be aware that if a team engages in such conduct, the Portland Trail Blazers will take all necessary steps to safeguard its rights, including, without limitation, litigation.''
A team executive said it was "unprecedented'' for an NBA team to threaten a lawsuit against a rival for signing a player who is a free agent.
The executive speculated that Miles may seek legal action of his own against the Blazers, by claiming that Portland is limiting his right to work.
Miles's agent, Jeff Wechsler, said he could not comment Thursday as he had not yet seen Miller's letter.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/basketball/nba/01/09/Blazers.Miles/index.html

[SpursFanFirst]

another thread was just started with this lawsuit article.
I'll ask the same question here just in case.

does Portland have any shot of successfully suing a team that picks him up?
They released him.

[ClingingMars]

SIGN MILES NOW!

-Mars

[Yorae]

Go!

[raspsa]

Spurs should sign him if he brings value to the team but not simply to screw Portland or earn $250K.

[angelbelow]

the blazers are bitches if they prevent miles from being signed. they claimed he was disabled and likely forced him to retire but you know what, he can still play. I think the spurs just look into him as well.

[m33p0]

What tp2021 says. ^^

I don't think any team is gonna cause Miles to hurt the Blazers salary cap.

Any GM who's willing to do it will forever be on Pritchard's shit list. Seeing as the Blazers have all that great talent on their team, I don't think any GM is willing to give up their chances of doing business with the Blaze in the future.
denver and utah will most likely do it since their chances of doing business with portland are very small, and they also might feel the need to fill a spot with their key players out.

throwing a monkey wrench into a division rival's plans is a very good motivation.

[Yuixafun]

I agree generally, but it's a funny situation which presents a possibility for some teams to even try blackmailing the Blazers, as they're totally unable to do anything at all like you said.

A Vaughn for Batum trade like someone suggested lol then we sign and keep Miles on the bench. I'm not being serious here of course but you see my point. I think the NBA might have to do something if some dodgy suggestions like this one start being rumoured.

Makes me smile when I see that word used appropriately.

[lurker23]

All other arguments aside, I don't think the Spurs will sign Miles for one key reason: it would provide far too many distractions. Pop is a coach that prides himself on keeping his team focused throughout the year and creating a steady, controversy-free atmosphere for the players. Even if Pop felt Miles would help on the court, he's probably aware that the media frenzy surrounding his signing at this point would be something that would spill over for a few weeks, if not a few months. That sort of distraction from the ultimate goal would be entirely unacceptable.