Darius Miles will likely have more of an impact on the Portland Trail Blazers off the court than he ever will for the Memphis Grizzlies on it.

The Trail Blazers hope facing a player that is still causing them financial problems won't be a distraction as they try for a fourth straight victory over the visiting Grizzlies on Wednesday night.

While the teams are at opposite ends of the Western Conference standings and the Trail Blazers (32-20) hold the recent advantage in the series, there is drama surrounding Miles' first trip to Portland since the team waived him in April.

From 2004-2006, Miles played 103 games for the Blazers and averaged a career-high 14.0 points in 2005-06, but underwent microfracture surgery on his knee in November 2006. After an independent doctor determined last season that the injury was career-ending, Portland waived him.

Miles, however, worked his way back with hopes of playing 10 NBA games so his $18 million salary would come back on the Blazers' books. After a pair of 10-day contracts, Memphis signed him for the remainder of the season on Jan. 30.

According to the NBA, Miles is the only player to return after having an injury that was deemed career-ending.

Portland is responsible for Miles' contract over the next two seasons and that counts toward the team's salary cap.

"We're not saying it's done," Portland president Larry Miller told The Associated Press. "We are still exploring our options at this point."

The third overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers in 2000, Miles is averaging 4.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in 17 games off the bench for the Grizzlies (15-38), who are 12th in the West.

He had one point in 3 minutes of Memphis' 117-99 loss at Utah on Tuesday and is sure to receive an unpleasant reception from the Portland fans in this contest.

The Miles distraction aside, the Blazers are fourth in the West and look to play better after the All-Star break this season than they did in 2007-08.

Portland appeared to be headed to the postseason then, but it went 13-17 after the break to finish 41-41 and miss the playoffs for the fifth straight season.

"We've got talent, but we've got to continue to mature," said Blazers All-Star Brandon Roy, averaging a career-high 22.7 points.

Roy had 37 in the Blazers' 105-98 loss at Golden State on Thursday in their most recent contest. The third-year guard, who had 14 points, five rebounds and five assists in Sunday's All-Star game, had 16 and 11 assists in Portland's 113-91 home win over Memphis on April 15 in the teams' last meeting.

Another member of the Blazers' young nucleus, starting center Greg Oden, will not play Wednesday due to a bone chip in his left knee. Oden, who is listed as day-to-day, sat out all of last season due to microfracture surgery on his right knee after being taken with the top pick in the draft.

Portland, which looks for a sixth straight win at the Rose Garden, opens a three-game homestand while trying for a third consecutive home victory over Memphis.

The Grizzlies look to avoid a third straight loss after winning four of five. Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo each had 18 points Tuesday for Memphis, which is 3-20 on the road where it has lost 10 of 11.

Gay, who returned after missing three games with a hip flexor strain, is averaging 25.7 points on 57.1 percent shooting (32-for-56) in his last three contests against Portland.