Miles responds to Portland's threat: 'I want to play'

Darius Miles found himself in the middle of drama last week. And for once, the much-maligned Miles doesn't feel like the man in the black hat.

Darius Miles is eager to revive his career in Memphis. Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images

"I'm just glad I'm not looking like the bad guy, like almost every other time," he told NBA.com on Sunday. "I'm not a bad person."

Miles is the first to admit his reputation is hardly unsoiled. His off-the-court issues are well-chronicled, culminating with a recently completed 10-game suspension for violating the league's drug policy. But his name has been bandied about the past few days for other reasons.

Miles' comeback from microfracture surgery has been overshadowed by the Portland's brazen attempt to thwart his return. Memphis signed Miles to a 10-day contact Saturday, four days after releasing the small forward and two days after Portland's warning.

An e-mail sent to the other 29 teams Thursday threatened legal action against any team that signed Miles for the express purpose of placing the $18 million remaining on his original Portland contract back on the Blazers' books. If Miles plays in two more games, a virtual certainty now, to fulfill a league-mandated 10-game requirement, Portland will be forced to pay $7.9 million in luxury tax this season and its cap space takes a significant hit this summer.

Portland's unprecedented threat was immediately condemned by the NBA Players Association. The league quickly followed suit by informing teams it would approve a contract signed with Miles.

"I was surprised by it," Miles said of Portland's email. "I didn't really get into it, just let it be. I let my agent, the Players Association and the NBA take care this. I just stay away from it because I just want to be on a team and be somewhere I can call home."

Miles' relationship with Portland's front office has deteriorated to a point worse than anything he's dealt with in his surgically-repaired right knee. As detailed by TNT's David Aldridge, the Blazers' campaign to keep Miles out of the NBA began long before Thursday's e-mail.

Miles isn't faultless in the falling out. His team suspension following an expletive-laden tirade at former Portland coach Mo Cheeks in 2005 was just one episode in the breakup. However, Miles did resume workouts with the Blazers last season for about two months before being waived in April when an independent doctor declared his injury career-ending.

"I want to leave this situation in the past," he said. "It was a bad situation for both parties. I learned from my experience there. I'll never get to a point like that with any other organization for the rest of my career. I'll never clash with any GMs or do anything like that.

"I'm a bigger person. I'm a better man now. I just won't let that happen. I want to leave it in the past. It seems like it just haunted me. Going to Boston was like a light on this dark cloud I've had over me the last three years."

Miles just wants to play basketball again and it's obvious he's, at worst, a borderline NBA talent again. Several teams worked Miles out this summer and were intrigued by the possibilities. Invited to the Celtics' training camp, Miles was one of the last cuts by the champs.

The Grizzlies, obviously, aren't nearly as deep as Boston, so it should stand to reason that Miles has at least a shot of sticking in Memphis. His release last week was a product of finances -- non-guaranteed contracts (Miles had one) became guaranteed Friday -- and the Grizzlies' search for a backup big man with Darko Milicic out.

Miles is worth another look. Though he freely admits he won't be the player he once was, even if that version of Miles never realized what many felt was his true potential. Still, the league's history is littered with players who have returned from career-threatening injuries to become serviceable contributors. Grant Hill anyone?

And cutting a player only to bring him back isn't an uncommon occurrence in the NBA. Remember, this is a league where traded players are often cut with wink-wink agreements to return to their former teams.

"This is what I've been doing since I was 18 years old professionally," Miles said. "I want to continue to do this. This isn't about a money thing. This is about me playing basketball. I want my family to see me play."

Miles doesn't wish any ill will toward the Blazers. He considers former teammates such as Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Steve Blake and Greg Oden friends. Miles said he tried to play last season to help ease the loss of Oden, who missed the season after his own microfracture surgery. Miles continues to follow the Blazers.

"I want them to make the playoffs," he said. "I want B-Roy to make the All-Star Game again. I don't want to hurt them. I wish I could continue my comeback and we wouldn't have to go through this. I don't want anything bad to happen to their organization. If they didn't have to go through this, it would be better.

"Sometimes when you get on an organization's bad side, there ain't no easy way to turn that around. I wanted to fulfill my contract."

By "this," Miles is alluding to Portland's $18 million hit.

"I'm not doing this to hurt them. I'm doing this to keep my career going on," Miles said. "I could have easily sat back and just been like, 'forget it' and not played. I want to come back and play. I'm not coming back just to make sure Portland puts money on their salary cap.

"It doesn't make any sense that I worked hard just to play two more games and then quit just to be on their salary cap. No, I want to play. I want to play for years to come."

Miles, 27, hopes to stick in the NBA into his mid-30s. He talked about his 1-year-old son being old enough to remember his dad playing. Reports out of Memphis described Miles' two-game stint, all nine minutes, as promising. He's even looking forward to the possibility of playing against former teammate LeBron James on Tuesday.

Miles pronounced his knee as sound. He hasn't dealt with any swelling or pain lately, though the explosiveness isn't back to the level he's hoping for. Miles figures it's only a matter of time since he's playing consistent 5-on-5 basketball for the first time in about four months.

"I'm doing something better and better every day," he said. "I'm getting moves back. I'm starting to see the floor. It's a process. I took two years off. I feel I can play on this level. The more I play, the more I practice, everything comes back.

"It's just tough to get consistent minutes. I'm going to work my hardest to get back where I was. I've got a lot more experience now. I don't make a lot of mistakes that I used to."

Much has happened in two years. Then again, much has remained the same.

"Everybody remembers me as this bad, bad guy," Miles said. "Anybody who really knows me knows that I don't really carry myself in that manner or that way. I just want to be on a team and show what I can bring to the table."

He's got that chance ... for now.