Miles is Awful!

[QuinielaBox]

I haven't been following the pre-season at all (I usually do not). I don't even know the number on Darius's jersey. It sounds like that the Celtics were giving him a look-see and chances are he will not make the team.

[BUTerrier]

I can't believe that the handful of people who claim that it's unethical for Danny to play Miles for 10 games and then cut him haven't been called out for this yet.

How in the world is that unethical? The insurance policies for NBA players are the same as those for you and I; that is to say, they protect you if you can't continue your pre-injury career. The logic is not that he has to play WELL; it's that he has to play AT ALL. By virtue of his being able to get on the basketball court, it can't be a "career-ending injury." Hence, Portland shouldn't be protected if he's able to play on a team, which, despite our comments to contrary, he can at least do. Not anywhere near his original talents, no, but he's a legitimate NBA player at least.

Listen, Portland waived him. They could have sat him, had his insurance covered, and then applied for an injury exemption from the league. If your argument is that he's injured, this would have worked. If your argument is that he isn't injured enough for the NBA to grant Portland an exemption . . . then that means he wasn't considered injured enough under the NBA's eye, so again: how is it unethical if he's not injured?

Portland has a lot of good young players coming up for free agency together. Seven of them, if I recall correctly. There wasn't much hope of their keeping them all as is; if Miles' contract hits their books again (so, 9 million this year and 9 million next year), it forces their hand early. It's not even remotely unethical if Ainge did this, because it's not like trying to play him for a few regular season games and seeing if he can contribute anything at all isn't a legitimate need. Hell, he's not going to play much more than Pollard did anyway, and we all know that, so where's the risk?

I mean, this all assumes that Ainge keeps him, which isn't guaranteed at all. But whatever he does, it's not like he's violating league policy or doing anything wrong.

[bucknersrevenge]

yea, i've not been too impressed with miles. i think both rookies are better players than he is but he fills the backup sf, pf role we really need. if we cut him then we are once again empty at sf. walker, giddens, and ta are all too small to fill that role.

Actually that's incorrect. Walker is labeled as a "power 3" an is almost Paul's size. Not to mention he's very strong. He's a solid 6'6 225 at the least. He's been playing the 3 exclusively in the preseason and handled it fine. Giddens is a bit smaller at 6'5 215 and he's gonna play more guard but he has an incredible wingspan and tremendously long arms much which allow him much like Rondo to play bigger than he is. Tony is probably the more exclusive 2-guard at 6'4 but he also has long arms and in a pinch Ray can handle the 3 in short minutes if he's ever on the floor with Tony. Either way It gives Tony a chance to play more minutes which he nees to be productive.

Now none are gonna play the 4 but again this is where people forget themselves trying to replace Posey with another Posey. It's already been said a million times by the Big 3 and Doc that that's not gonna happen. Not to mention I don't care what anyone says, playing Posey at the 4 was NOT a good thing. It was not a good thing at all. He stunk whenever he played there. We have the talent here to do all the things Posey did on the floor and more. Eddie is the shooter, Tony the defender, Walker the tough, physical guy. And we ad the athleticism that Posey never had. Not to mention Eddie has taken it upon himself to be a more vocal veteran on the floor and I have notice him even taking over the role of giving the hugs at the beginning of the games too.