The NBA players' union said Friday it will file a grievance against the Portland Trail Blazers after team president Larry Miller threatened litigation if a team picks up Darius Miles simply to adversely impact Portland's salary cap.
Before the 6-foot-9 small forward cleared waivers Friday morning, Miller sent an e-mail to the other 29 NBA teams as a warning that the Blazers would sue.
If Miles plays in two more games this season, Portland would be on the hook for $18 million -- the amount remaining on Miles' contract, which would count against the salary cap and force the team to pay luxury tax.
"We are shocked at the brazen attempt by the Portland Trail Blazers to try to prevent Darius Miles from continuing his NBA career," NBPA executive director Billy Hunter said in a statement Friday. "Their attempt to intimidate the other 29 NBA teams by threatening frivolous litigation merely for signing this capable NBA veteran is a clear violation of the anti-collusion and other provisions of our Collective Bargaining Agreement. We will vigorously defend Darius' rights."
The matter was added to Friday's agenda at a previously scheduled meeting between NBA and players' union attorneys.
In a memo sent to its 30 teams Friday that announced Miles had cleared waivers, the league office acknowledged it received the e-mail Portland distributed.
The NBA in its statement also seemed to indicate that it would support any club wishing to sign the veteran forward.
The Blazers waived Miles, who has not played for the team since microfracture surgery on his right knee in November 2006, at the end of last season after determining he was medically unable to play.
Miles has played in eight games this season -- six preseason games for the Boston Celtics, then two games for the Memphis Grizzlies before being released earlier his week.
Miles, the third overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2000 NBA draft, was on the Blazers' roster from 2004-08. He signed a six-year, $48 million deal with the team in September 2004.
In 414 career games, he has averaged 10.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.15 blocks.
Information from ESPN.com senior NBA writers Chris Sheridan and Marc Stein and The Associated Press was used in this report.