Why won't Darius Miles tell himself to retire?

[Andrew McCeltic]

Maggette for the MLE and Darius Miles for the vet minimum would really improve our bench. Add Lue, sign a frontcourt player like Othella Harrington or Skinner, then bundle TA/Scal/Baby and try to pick up a back-up 5 (Jeff Foster? Robswift?)

Rondo/Lue/Pruitt
Allen/Maggette
Pierce/Miles
Garnett/Powe/Harrington
Perkins/Foster

[sully00]

If Darius signs with another team and Portland suspects foul play they can send in a petition to the league. I am not sure if after that he has to get his knee examined by another doctor again.

You are kind of putting the cart before the horse. Miles would have to sign with a team play in ten games and then be waived before POR would have anything to say about it. If he simply signs with a team and sticks there is nothing POR can do.

[campybatman]

This isn't about revenge. This is about the rare opportunity to hurt another team with a simple signing. Especially one that could be standing between us and more banners in the future.

Reread the last sentence of your statement. The Celtics have a window that is only as wide as the time Pierce, Garnett and Ray Allen are teammates in Boston. Portland is a young and talented team on paper but are inexperienced and haven't all played together for a full season and aren't better than the best teams that the western conference has to offer in the playoffs. You're giving too much credit too early to Portland a team that isn't at the same level yet. Not to mention, where's Portland going to find all the money to sign all of these young players? Currently, they're among the top half of the highest team payroll in the league. I mean you've Roy and Aldridge who are your cornerstones and likely maximum salaries, right? Next, you've Oden who you hope being the top selection of his draft is a franchise center. So, he's a keeper and another potential maximum salary for Portland or elsewhere down the road. And then you've Przybilla, Fernandez, Rodriguez, Outlaw (if not traded), Webster (if not traded), Diogu and rookies Bayless and Batum as the highlighted players who round out a solid bench. If most or all of these role players pan out. How do you expect Portland to retain all of them coupled with their potential "Big Three?" You're more likely to have more success with a mix of veterans who add leadership and experience on your team. You're asking a lot from a team where their best players are all still young and maturing.

So, I'm not ready to acknowledge Portalnd as a threat to make the western conference finals en route to the NBA finals in the immediate future. Not when the best of the west are still tough opponents for you and every other young and hungry team trying to prove themselves in that conference have the same goals in mind as you.

[Collinto]

This isn't about revenge. This is about the rare opportunity to hurt another team with a simple signing. Especially one that could be standing between us and more banners in the future.

Not to mention, where's Portland going to find all the money to sign all of these young players?

Paul Allen is worth around 16 billion dollars, only 41 people have more money in the world...

I laugh when people think that him getting "stuck with Miles' 27 million dollar contract would make him blink. He would miss it about as much as Paul Pierce will miss the fine he got for the supposed gang sign he threw during the playoffs.

Not to mention, Paul Allen just bought the Rose Garden last year, so his profits from the team have just gone up.

So the answer is, they don't have to look too far for the money...

[Gomes3PC]

Paul Allen could care less what happens to Darius Miles. If we sign him that's just one minor expense for the multi-billionaire.

As far as the Celtics go, if he's healthy, I guess he's not a terrible option if both Maggette and Posey skip out of town. I don't see that happening, but in the off chance that it does, Miles can at least fill that 'long, athletic 3 who can score a bit and play the 4 when we go small' role. He's a more talented player than Posey, but he'll never sniff the lockerroom and defensive impact James gave us. I don't think you'll ever see Darius impart daily notes of wisdom to each of his teammates before tip-off.

[campybatman]

Paul Allen is worth around 16 billion dollars, only 41 people have more money in the world...

I laugh when people think that him getting "stuck with Miles' 27 million dollar contract would make him blink. He would miss it about as much as Paul Pierce will miss the fine he got for the supposed gang sign he threw during the playoffs.

Not to mention, Paul Allen just bought the Rose Garden last year, so his profits from the team have just gone up.

So the answer is, they don't have to look too far for the money...

You're aware that there's something referred to as a NBA salary cap? And then there's the luxury tax threshold for team payrolls that exceed the limit.

Player's in today's league will always overvalue their own worth. So, I fail to see your point. Because you obviously misconstrued my point. My point wasn't so much that the Portland ownership can't afford the combined salaries of their players as much as I'm saying that these young players will ask for the most they can get for themselves even if it means that they'll be overpaid. If every player has that attitude on your team. You aren't retaining all of them.

[Collinto]

Paul Allen is worth around 16 billion dollars, only 41 people have more money in the world...

I laugh when people think that him getting "stuck with Miles' 27 million dollar contract would make him blink. He would miss it about as much as Paul Pierce will miss the fine he got for the supposed gang sign he threw during the playoffs.

Not to mention, Paul Allen just bought the Rose Garden last year, so his profits from the team have just gone up.

So the answer is, they don't have to look too far for the money...

You're aware that there's something referred to as a NBA salary cap? And then there's the luxury tax threshold for team payrolls that exceed the limit.

Player's in today's league will always overvalue their own worth. So, I fail to see your point. Because you obviously misconstrued my point. My point wasn't so much that the Portland ownership can't afford the combined salaries of their players as much as I'm saying that these young players will ask for the most they can get for themselves even if it means that they'll be overpaid. If every player has that attitude on your team. You aren't retaining all of them.

You are aware that it is a 'soft cap'...meaning if they are your players and you have deep pockets, you can retain them regardless of whether they are 'over-paid'. Therefore, you can 'retain them all'.

[TheSheriff]

Paul Allen is worth around 16 billion dollars, only 41 people have more money in the world...

I laugh when people think that him getting "stuck with Miles' 27 million dollar contract would make him blink. He would miss it about as much as Paul Pierce will miss the fine he got for the supposed gang sign he threw during the playoffs.

Not to mention, Paul Allen just bought the Rose Garden last year, so his profits from the team have just gone up.

So the answer is, they don't have to look too far for the money...

You're aware that there's something referred to as a NBA salary cap? And then there's the luxury tax threshold for team payrolls that exceed the limit.

Player's in today's league will always overvalue their own worth. So, I fail to see your point. Because you obviously misconstrued my point. My point wasn't so much that the Portland ownership can't afford the combined salaries of their players as much as I'm saying that these young players will ask for the most they can get for themselves even if it means that they'll be overpaid. If every player has that attitude on your team. You aren't retaining all of them.

You are aware that it is a 'soft cap'...meaning if they are your players and you have deep pockets, you can retain them regardless of whether they are 'over-paid'. Therefore, you can 'retain them all'.

Smart owners run their teams like a business. That means that you sign as many players as make sense from a business point of view. You don't just spend money haphazardly, and the owners personal wealth has very little to do with how much a team spends.

[Rocky5000]

Having Miles on the payroll affects what FA they can go after in the 09-10 offseason. They could potentially have a huge pile of cash, if Miles is on their payroll, they only have a big pile. Maybe that money could turn into Andre Miller and Ron Artest.

[Collinto]

Mark Cuban and the Dolan's say hi.

[GuyClinch]

Having Miles on the payroll affects what FA they can go after in the 09-10 offseason. They could potentially have a huge pile of cash, if Miles is on their payroll, they only have a big pile. Maybe that money could turn into Andre Miller and Ron Artest.

Unconvinced. Teams like Portland which have a finacial advantage can always make trades to free up money if needed be - because they have the ability to trade expiring deals for bad long term ones. They can buy picks. They can do lots of things which lessor teams cannot. Again I don't see this as some big wound to Portland. We will sign Miles if we think he can help us. I don't believe "revenge" motivates Danny at all.

Pete

[bruno sundov]

bruno, was it confirmed that coke was got him booted?

I was always under the impression that it was something a bit more obscure than weed or blow but I haven't exactly been monitoring the situation.

Yeah I read an articel about him a year agon in SI. He had 2 seperate hot test. The last one was for Coke.


My greater point is this. If you are a lazy **** that doesn't change. Having an addiciton and overcoming that addiction happens. You are better of with a drug addict than a lazy person. At least the drug addict is going to do his best to stay out of trouble and work hard.

[Al n' Perk No Layups!]

Reread the last sentence of your statement. The Celtics have a window that is only as wide as the time Pierce, Garnett and Ray Allen are teammates in Boston.

This is a very shortsighted view. I bet last year fans were saying we didn't need to worry about Detroit because our window would open after theirs would close, yet we make trades for Ray and KG and suddenly Detroit is our major obstacle blocking our path to banner #17.

This team isn't just going to stop trying to win after PGA leave. We have plenty of ability to sign big time FAs or make huge trades or just have young talent like Rondo develop and take the reigns.

The point is you never know what could happen in the future, and in four years we may very well be going head to head with Portland, and preventing them from having capspace to sign a big name FA next year may make a huge difference.

[greenbeans]

At least the drug addict is going to do his best to stay out of trouble and work hard.

[GuyClinch]

My greater point is this. If you are a lazy **** that doesn't change. Having an addiciton and overcoming that addiction happens. You are better of with a drug addict than a lazy person. At least the drug addict is going to do his best to stay out of trouble and work hard.

Bull. Posey was LAZY with Miami. He failed conditioning tests. Something that he could have simply worked through. But for us he played hard. Their are numerous NBA players like this. Even PP didn't give it his all on D back when he had to cover for the likes of Gerald Green. DA has commented that he will "coast" at times.

OTOH drug addictions/alcohol is far worse. It actually changes the brain of the addict. They are never the same person again. They become conditoned to respond to the addictive substance over other reward. That's why Vin Baker would go back on the juice. Moreover they same personality flaw that made them an "addictive" person in the first place still remains. Your making a drug addiction sound like a broken leg. It isn't.

The chance of whipping a guy who slacks off a tad into shape - is a heck of alot higher then curing a heroin addict. That vast majority of junkies end up dead.

Pete

[sully00]

lazy can also be subjective, drug addict not so much.

[threrf23]

Two quick points:

1.) Some players can be lazy, yet always show up when they need to. Posey arguably may fall into this category. On this note, that is exactly why Darius Miles should not necessarily be written off.

2.) If I am not mistaken, Chris Andersen tested positive for a certain substance on one occasion during the All-Star Break. Without additional information, that is indicative of a bad decision, but not necessarily a drug addiction.

[GuyClinch]

^^ I suppose if it's pot - no big deal. It's not that addictive. But I can't imagine they banned him for that..

Pete

[greenbeans]

nobody gets suspended 2 years for pot.
the suspension was classified as "drugs of abuse" which doesnt include weed anyway. id rather a mild underachiever over a "reformed" junkie if all is equal any day of the week.

[sully00]

Two quick points:

1.) Some players can be lazy, yet always show up when they need to. Posey arguably may fall into this category. On this note, that is exactly why Darius Miles should not necessarily be written off.

2.) If I am not mistaken, Chris Andersen tested positive for a certain substance on one occasion during the All-Star Break. Without additional information, that is indicative of a bad decision, but not necessarily a drug addiction.

On point 2 I believe you are mistaken. If Birdman was being tested at the All Star break it means he was already in the program for failing the "stupid test." Meaning the the dumbass tested positive on a the training camp test everyone takes and knows when it is going to happen which got him in the drug testing program to begin with. Either that or the word was out that he had a problem. By comparison Kemp was reported to be using coke in the Blazers locker room but somehow never failed a test.

Beyond that whatever the drugs that got Anderson the boot were, it wasn't pot. Most of the drugs in question are in the system for 5 days at the most. He is either the most unlucky sonofabitch of all time or he had a problem.

I am not saying I don't want this dude to get a chance I am just saying it is what it is.