http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3840234
Miles played in his fourth regular season game of the year last night just over two years after microfracture surgery on his knee that many thought had ended his career.
None of this would have been noteworthy if it wasn't for all of the salary cap implications for his former team and the not-so-veiled threats they made to every other team in the league. Last night's game cost the Blazers $18M. Howson and Snow got nothing on these guys.
Miles, who was the third overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2000 draft, signed a six-year, $48 million deal with Portland in 2004. The Blazers waived Miles at the end of the 2007-08 season after an independent doctor determined he hadn't recovered from microfracture surgery on his right knee in November 2006.
He played in six preseason games for the Celtics this season before Boston released him on Oct. 20. It had been believed that under the collective bargaining agreement, Miles had to play in 10 regular-season or postseason games in a season for the $18 million to count against the Blazers. But the NBA confirmed that the six preseason games Miles played for the Celtics also counted.
The Blazers had sent out an e-mail earlier this month warning of possible legal action against any team signing the free-agent Miles.
"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," team president Larry Miller's e-mail read.
Congratulations to Darius Miles
