Actual Miles News! Blazers inquire about medical retirement

[Spykes]

Awesome article in the Oregonian coming up. Sounds like the Blazers have taken the initial steps to set up medical retirement for Miles...

The Trail Blazers took the first steps Monday toward deciding the future of forward Darius Miles by asking the NBA to appoint an independent doctor to determine whether Miles' right knee injuries are career-ending.

...

By filing a request for an independent doctor, the Blazers were following the criteria outlined in the league's collective bargaining agreement in determining a career-ending injury.

"We've started an evaluation process regarding whether Darius has a career-ending injury," Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard said. "This will likely take some time, but my guess is this will be resolved by the end of the season."

Once the NBA and the players association determines the doctor to perform the evaluation, Miles will fly to New York for the examination, probably by the end of March. Typically, the doctor makes a determination within a few days after the exam. Miles would not be able to appeal the decision, but he could seek a contract with another team.

...

In December of this season, Miles proclaimed himself "90 percent healthy" and "certain" he would play this season when the Blazers began what they called a "reintegration" of Miles to the team, which included Miles participating in drills during practices. Prior to that, Miles never took part in team functions as he worked with a private trainer, Robin Pound, who was hired by the team.

The reintegration didn't last long. Miles eventually developed problems with his Achilles' tendon, preventing him from resuming drills. It is unknown whether the recent Achilles problems have affected Miles' comeback aspirations.

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/orego ... xml&coll=7

How big would it be for this team if they can get Miles to retire!?!

[TradeMachine]

I don't know about you, but I'm sort of feeling guilty for hoping his injury is bad... as in career ending bad. Anyway, if we can clear up that room on the payroll, the likelihood of us actually using the caproom in 09 would probably increase.

[PDXKnight]

Thanks for the update! Hopefully this situation can be resolved so that the Blazers will get even more capspace in 09'. It'll be better for both the Blazers and Miles if he can retire.

[Yadadimean]

assuming his money comes off the cap in whatever scenario happens, it would be huge for the '09 plan.

[mojomarc]

I'm holding onto my shorts.... Now what????

[sabi]

Buy some suspenders. This seems like it will be a very slow bureaucratic process.

[zzaj]

This just has disaster written all over it for the Blazer organization IMO.

[mojomarc]

This just has disaster written all over it for the Blazer organization IMO.

How so? Either the independent doctor agrees, and Miles' contract is no longer on our list for salary cap, or he doesn't and we're in exactly the same situation we're in today with a Miles that isn't healthy or good enough to play yet still taking up $8+ mllion in cap room. Where is the potential disaster?

[Wizenheimer]

-= original quote snipped =-



How so? Either the independent doctor agrees, and Miles' contract is no longer on our list for salary cap, or he doesn't and we're in exactly the same situation we're in today with a Miles that isn't healthy or good enough to play yet still taking up $8+ mllion in cap room. Where is the potential disaster?

yeah, I don't see disaster anywhere in this for the Blazers as long as they are adhering to the rules for medical retirement...and it sounds like they are.

I haven't been a big fan of the cap-space plan for a number of reasons, but a primary one was that as long as Miles was on the roster, portland was going to have to sacrifice at least 3 and probably 4 current rotation players to achieve substantial cap space. With Miles gone, Portland could have 10 million in space without making any significant moves. Getting to maximum contract level space wouldn't take much. Besides, it's a recession so Paul Allen might be feeling the pinch...

I could be wrong about this, but I'm guessing if Miles does retire, Portland would be very unlikely to use Lafrentz's expiring contract in a trade.

[BlackMamba]

well, too bad for miles if this goes down.

i don't think this makes the blazers happy or anything, but you get to a certain point where business is business.

and, lets say that they give miles the injury retirement tag, he of course, has the chance to comeback anytime he wants?

[JD45]

Miles is going along with it.

He could insist he could play and not cooperate. So the fact he is going to NYC to get examined means this is almost certainly going to happen.

He has made enough money to be set for life. So don't feel too sorry for him.

[Billy]

It's too bad to see that kind of talent just kind of fade away. Would you take that 9 million of cap space to sign another free agent, or would you rather take Miles' talent and inject it into someone like Webster.

Red pill, blue pill eh?

But in all seriousness it's time. It's not like Portland didn't give him nearly 2 years to have some sort of semblance of recovery. I think most of us would have told him where the door was if we were asked if he could participate in practice, but Portland let him in.

Glad to hear Portland can move on from here.

[Billy]

What is a max contract these days? I thought they were hovering around 12 million per. Isn't the new CBA 6yr/$72?

[TBpup]

Even if he came off the cap due to retirement, the team is still on the hook for the next two years should he decide to come back and play in just 10 games. Even if he played just a few minutes in each of those, his salary would go back on the Blazers cap.

That is what I would be concerned with even if the Dr. found in their favor.

[Wizenheimer]

What is a max contract these days? I thought they were hovering around 12 million per. Isn't the new CBA 6yr/$72?

It's more then that, although it depends on the number of years a player has in the league. I thought maximum was also based upon a percentage or the salary cap, but apparently not.

The salary cap is derived by taking 51% of BRI (baskeball related income), subtracting projeted benefits (not sure what all that entails) and dividing by 30 (number of teams)

On the other hand, Maximum Salaries are calculated by taking 48.04% of BRI and dividing by the number of teams. This usually gets to a number a little less then the cap.

For players with 6 years or less experience, the maximum salary is 25% of 48.04% of the BRI/30 ( ). This season it's $13,041,250

for players with 7 years or more experience the 1st percentage is 30%. This year's max is $15,649,500.

if a player had 10+ years experience, this year's max is $18,257,750

So if Portland wants to chase a player like Arenas or Baron Davis in 2009, they might have to give a starting salary of around 16-17 million.

sorry for lecture...for some sicko reason, I enjoy this junk

this is in section 11 of Larry Coon's CBA FAQ:

http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#11

[TBpup]

sorry for lecture...for some sicko reason, I enjoy this junk

Wizenheimer....no apologies. Good information.

[Wizenheimer]

sorry for lecture...for some sicko reason, I enjoy this junk

Wizenheimer....no apologies. Good information.

no problem...my apology was only false humility...

[Billy]

I appreciate it Wizenheimer. Thanks. I'm certainly not particularly apt when it comes to understanding the CBA. I just had remembered reading something that said that max deals had been shortened by a year in the new CBA and I thought I saw the 12 million figure thrown out. That helps a lot .

[Wizenheimer]

Even if he came off the cap due to retirement, the team is still on the hook for the next two years should he decide to come back and play in just 10 games. Even if he played just a few minutes in each of those, his salary would go back on the Blazers cap.

That is what I would be concerned with even if the Dr. found in their favor.

I'm wondering about that a bit. I found the applicable section in the actual, authentic unabridged CBA:

(h) Long-Term Injuries. Any player who suffers a career-ending injury or illness, and whose contract is terminated by the Team in accordance with the NBA waiver procedure, will be excluded from his Team

[AZ BLAZER]

Even if he came off the cap due to retirement, the team is still on the hook for the next two years should he decide to come back and play in just 10 games. Even if he played just a few minutes in each of those, his salary would go back on the Blazers cap.

That is what I would be concerned with even if the Dr. found in their favor.

This is why Miles wil be "plaing ball" with Portland;

TAXES

If he is deemed medically unfit to play due to a permanent disability, he will get all monies owed to him in a one time lump sum payment, tax free. If reports are correct and he is due $18 mil over the next two seasons I would see him saving (based on a 40% tax rate) $7.2 mil by accepting the medical retirement.

Now does anybody see him giving that money up to attempt a comeback in the next two years for a vet min deal? I don't, and I also do not see any team offering him anything over a non-guaranteed vet min deal. So I would say that Miles is well aware of the tax benefit to him, spelled out by a Paul Allen financial advisor maybe.

For those that are unsure of the tax stuff here, I am sure at least one of our members here know taxes. My info is based on personal experience. I am VA rated @ 70% and got a ton of tax free money in a lump sum payment for the injuries I suffered. Of course I also get a monthly stipend for life that Miles will also get in the form of disability pay. Miles will probably be able to get a monthly stipend as well from the Players Association. You would think they would have something set up to protect players that suffer career ending injuries and will have some kind of income after their contract expires.