The Celtics have signed Darius Miles to a non-guaranteed contract.  The salary and length of the deal weren't reported.  You have to figure it's a one-year deal, though given that it's not guaranteed, the Celtics may have offered him more than the veteran's minimum salary.  Miles pulled a bunch of childish crap when he was in Portland, so since the deal isn't guaranteed, he'll have to demonstrate that he's matured or the Celtics can just dump him.  Said Ainge, "Darius has been in twice for workouts with us and has impressed us with his progress, health, and attitude.  Darius will have the next couple of months to prove to myself and Coach Rivers that he can help us win.”

Miles is 6'9" and can play both forward positions.  Before he was injured, he was extremely athletic.  Now, who knows?  He was a slasher with a mediocre outside shot.  He was a good defender when he wanted to be, which was only some of the time.  If he makes the final roster, he will reportedly miss his first 10 games as enforcement of a drug program violation from years ago.  He had never played since due to injury, so the league never got a chance to enforce it.

The Celtics didn't have a true backup small forward on the roster after Posey left.  God forbid Doc was given the opportunity to give Scalabrine regular minutes there.  Second round pick Bill Walker is 6'6" but hasn't signed yet and might not even make the team.  Their other options were quickly signing elsewhere -- Michael Finley and Devean George had just re-signed with the Spurs and Mavs.

An interesting catch with Miles is that the league removed his deal from Portland's salary cap as a medical retirement.  (Portland bought him out, but the salary cap component of the contract still exists.)  If he plays 10 games this season, he goes back onto Portland's salary cap for $9 million this year and another $9 million next year.  I don't think they're in the luxury tax this year, but it would cut into their cap space next summer.

 This is a win-win for Boston. If he doesn't make it . . .and he's a long shot from what I've heard, but if he actually does wind up playing the Blazers pay for most of it. Can't beat that!

The Celtics also reported that they'd signed Bill Walker.  So that gives them 15 signed players.  If they find someone they'd like to add, either now or when the P.J. Brown/Sam Cassell types become available late in the season, they could potentially cut Walker, Miles, or Gabe Pruitt with minimal financial repercussion.  I've already forgotten the name of that SF they had on the roster for the first two months last season, who never got into an NBA game before getting cut.

Portland coach Nate McMillan suggests in Marc Spears basketball notes column in today's Globe that while Miles' knee may be healthy enough to look good in workouts, it may not be able to sustain the day-to-day stress of being an NBA player.  Portland waived Miles in April after a few months where they could never get him physically cleared to start playing.

"We had him working out and were running him through some drills", said McMillan.  "He actually tried to go through some practices.  For a day or so he could do that and then he had to take a couple days off."

McMillan is also quoted as saying, "I've heard that he has been working out for other teams.  Drills are one thing.  Basketball is another."

greenteam:

The Celtics also reported that they'd signed Bill Walker.  So that gives them 15 signed players.  If they find someone they'd like to add, either now or when the P.J. Brown/Sam Cassell types become available late in the season, they could potentially cut Walker, Miles, or Gabe Pruitt with minimal financial repercussion.  I've already forgotten the name of that SF they had on the roster for the first two months last season, who never got into an NBA game before getting cut.

AWalker S1CKZ:

greenteam:

The Celtics also reported that they'd signed Bill Walker.  So that gives them 15 signed players.  If they find someone they'd like to add, either now or when the P.J. Brown/Sam Cassell types become available late in the season, they could potentially cut Walker, Miles, or Gabe Pruitt with minimal financial repercussion.  I've already forgotten the name of that SF they had on the roster for the first two months last season, who never got into an NBA game before getting cut.

Brandon Wallace

Think he'll get a ring?

greenteam:

AWalker S1CKZ:

greenteam:

The Celtics also reported that they'd signed Bill Walker.  So that gives them 15 signed players.  If they find someone they'd like to add, either now or when the P.J. Brown/Sam Cassell types become available late in the season, they could potentially cut Walker, Miles, or Gabe Pruitt with minimal financial repercussion.  I've already forgotten the name of that SF they had on the roster for the first two months last season, who never got into an NBA game before getting cut.

Brandon Wallace

Think he'll get a ring?

 Hey GT, Awaler and Johnx etc

If he plays a bit you might have gotten a huge steal - if not...... meh.

And congrats again

 Ken

 It's been suggested that the Celtics are trying to sabotage Portland's cap space - if Miles sits on the end of the bench all season we'll know there was a hidden motive to signing a guy who everyone on the planet says will never play NBA ball again.

I'm sure it's been suggested by paranoid Blazer fans, but it doesn't make much sense.  Why would Boston care about Portland's cap space?  The only noteworthy Celtics who will be free agents next year are Leon Powe and Big Baby Davis, and unless one makes a huge jump this year, neither will command more than the MLE that every team has available.  Rondo isn't a restricted free agent until 2010, when the teams with cap space will have bigger fish to go after.

The fact is that if Miles looks capable of playing, SOME NBA team was going to sign him, and the paranoiacs among Portland fans would blame whoever that team was of having a conspiracy.

Greenteam's facetious conspiracy theory prediction:

Prior to the start of the season, Boston and Portland work a trade:  Brian Scalabrine and a second round pick for Martell Webster.  Now that Boston has a veteran backup small forward in Webster, they don't have a need for Darius Miles and cut him during training camp.  The downside for Portland (besides getting Scalabrine) is that they lose Webster and go at small forward with a combination of Travis Outlaw, Rudy Fernandez, and Nicholas Batum.  The upside is that Miles doesn't play 10 games for Boston, and Portland keeps $9 million in cap space for next summer.  Plus, Webster's qualifying offer for 2009-10 would be $5 million, while Scalabrine's salary is $3.4 million, for an additional $1.6 million in cap space.

I like it.

Its like the curse of having Miles. Even if he's not on your team anymore he still causes you to make the horrible choice between losing 9 m in cap space or having Scalabine on your roster. UHHGG.

I think I'd eat the cap space.

Dunno ..... reports sound like he's doing ok.   Maybe he's grown up a little ... has 3 veterans and RAJON RONDO there to straighten him out.  If he comes back with even 80% of his athletic ability .... I'd say Boston has gotten a steal
 

As far as Portland's cap space goes, this looks like a hole in the Collective Bargaining Agreement that needs to be fixed next time around.  A team shouldn't be able to use medical retirement as an excuse to take a player off the salary cap unless the player agrees to retire.  That's just begging for trouble.  How does Portland get to unilaterally declare that Miles is retired, when he says he isn't?

Yesterday was the first time Miles has been able to practice for a fourth consecutive day.  Miles pointed out that this was partly because Doc had changed some of his planned two-a-days into single practice sessions.

greenteam:

As far as Portland's cap space goes, this looks like a hole in the Collective Bargaining Agreement that needs to be fixed next time around.  A team shouldn't be able to use medical retirement as an excuse to take a player off the salary cap unless the player agrees to retire.  That's just begging for trouble.  How does Portland get to unilaterally declare that Miles is retired, when he says he isn't?

 I agree the wording needs to be changed. I think ritirment is the wrong word. I think teams should be able to remove a player from the cap X time after an injury if an independent doctor (approved by NBA and players association) determines that he cannot meet a reasonable standard. A team should not be able to say "you are retired" but a team should not be held hostage for a roster spot and cap space by a player who won't face relaity either. The player will get paid no matter what. That's not an issue. But when you look at a guy like Alvin Williams that the Raotors had to waive and deal with the cap,possible lux tax and roster issues becuase he just wouldn't admit he was DONE.

Its embarssing for the player when that happens as well I would think. Let the doctor say no he doesn't pass the physical. If the team wants to waive the physical (as they can do in trades) and keep the guy anyways (like maybe Livingston will be done) then fine. If not give the team a medical cap waiver and allow the guy to try to convince another team to sign him.

The Celtics cut Miles today.  He played decently, especially on defense.  But Bill Walker showed he had talent, and Gabe Pruitt showed a big improvement over last season, and Miles needed to dramatically outplay one of those two in order to make the team.  The only guy who played himself out of a job this preseason was Scalabrine (4-for-22 shooting and a ton of dumb turnovers), but he has a guaranteed deal for $7 million over the next two years, so he stays while Miles goes.  It's a shame, if only because we won't get to hear the conspiracy theory whining from Blazer fans.  Maybe I should start a conspiracy theory that Portland paid Boston under the table to cut Miles.

On Chad Ford's ESPN.com chat, he said he thinks one of the West Conference playoff teams will sign Miles purposely to keep Portland from signing a top free agent and becoming a bigger competitor.  San Antonio and New Orleans are a couple of teams that might fill this bill, and also have a use for Miles as a player.  New Orleans' backup big men are pretty weak; they could probably use Miles as a power forward.

 Walker have a talent but Miles too just weaken by his numerous injuries... Don't like Walker he talks to much and create a ******* too!