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with Darius Miles?

Ready To Play?
Darius Miles | Trail Blazers
Darius Miles says he's ready.

"It's up to (team officials) now," he says. "I can play. I can practice any day they practice. There's no pain in the knee. I'm ready to go."

Will he push the Blazers to get back in action?

"I've been doing that," Miles says.

Though everyone skips around the issue, part of the Blazers' concern is, with the team playing so well, Miles' return could disrupt the chemistry. He's not exactly been a character guy in the past, and there are questions about how he will fit in. -- The Portland Tribune

Risk our recent success and showcase him? Let him rot at the end of the bench, get disgruntled and potentially cause internal problems? Has he matured enough to understand that he may still have a lot of work to do yet before he is actually ready to play in the NBA again? Would he accept reduced role? Is he even better than anyone else on the team at SF right now? Dammit man! I was glad to hear he was on his way back to being ready to play not too long ago, but the last update I heard was before we were playing well. I hope this doesnt end up screwing anything up.

yea, that is a tough situation. His salary is so big, I wonder if we would even be able to trade him for much anyway. I wonder what the other guys on the team think of him. At least look at it this way: Brandon Roy (most likely, as pritchard said it was a prominent player) kicked Zach out because he didnt have the chemistry. I think that at least he has the motivation to keep this team from being derailed by the remnants of the jailblazers. We will just have to see what happens, but I think we have smart people in leadership positions, and while Nate has faults, I think he is as good a coach as any in dealing with players with character issues.

Certainly a surprise. I don't think many of us expected him to actually make it back.

He has to earn his playing time. I hope he doesn't think that just because the last NBA game he played in he was a starter that 2 years later he can just pick right back up.

To me, it's debatable at best that a healthy Miles would be better than Jones, Outlaw or Webster. All three stretch the defense very well--which is something Portland has really needed at the SF/backup PF spots this season.

Obviously if the Blazers had lost 16 out of their last 17 rather than winning those 16 I might be a little more willing to throw him in the mix and see how it goes. But to me, you can't mess with the chemistry the team is experiencing right now--and that also goes for rotations. If Miles can't understand that his butt needs to be sitting back at home.

I'm happy for him that he's made his way back, but he has to prove himself to be a better option than someone else before he can start believing he deserves any playing time.

Well, at this point there is no way they'll get the league to give us the medical exception for him, so we may as well activate him and see him in full practice with the team. I don't know that he'd earn playing time ahead of Webster, Jones, Outlaw, Frye, etc., but if we can't do anything else we may as well see where he is. If he's better, we should be able to showcase him and quickly trade him for something, and if he's worse he'll sit on the bench knowing he got schooled.

I've got a bad feeling about this. Martell, James, and sometimes Travis are splitting the time @3 pretty well. It's really working. I don't see Darius as a guy who will quietly wait on the bench until (and IF) his number is called.

I also get the feeling that while he's been lobbying to get back on the floor, management has been trying to figure out ways to keep him off it.

I'm of the opinion that his bad rep was slightly overblown after a few strip club sightings, his racist tirade, and the infamous suspension refund. Still, I believe his attitude is and will be a major problem if he doesn't get what he wants and I absolutely do not see him fitting in with this team.

If Roy has to sit out tomorrows game, that could be a easy opportunity to get him a few minutes. Start Webster and Jones at the 2 and 3, then give Miles some backup minutes at SF.

We have to see what Miles can do. That way we can trade him to the Knicks.

swede wrote:We have to see what Miles can do. That way we can trade him to the Knicks.

I don't think the Knicks have anything we want back, though.

mojomarc wrote:I don't think the Knicks have anything we want back, though.

They have Malik Rose, who's contract expires in 2009.

Sounds like a match made in heaven.

We hit the panic button.

Trade him for an expiring.

well, it he is ready and shows during practice that he deserves some minutes, then give them to him.

he has the talent, and he could deffinitelly help the blazers.

i've been a supporter for miles and it would be a good thing to see him come back.

as of now he is a blazer and has the same amount of opportunity as any other player.

541Blaza wrote:Trade him for an expiring.

Easier said than done.

swede wrote:We have to see what Miles can do. That way we can trade him to the Knicks.

I love how Isaiah has done such a bad job that the knicks have just become the nba's dumpster. Have a player you don't want? Send him to the knicks! I wonder if Isaiah would trade away any of his draft picks, and leave his team with no hope of rebuilding?

Let him sit and have him play in practices.

No use in messing up the lineups with a
player that isnt as good as the other SFs.

If only his contract were smaller, we could trade him for garbage

I knew something was up when the sent McBob to the D League. Holy moses this is crazy.

Send him to Siberia ... Kidding .... Kind of ......

Now to be serious i think he should sit until at least the All Star break then let him have McRoberts spot for 5 or so games WHILE he in D-league. If he gets in then we will see. However the Blazers need to get him some exposure IF they have any hope to get him of the roster. When i say after All Star break i am thinking last 6 weeks of season. However 1st let him practice with team and see if his practice habits and attitude have improved. If they have not then BURY him someplace But if it has then give him a chance to prove himself so the team can trade him in offseason.