Age: 28
Years Pro: 10
Status: Under contract through the 2016-17 season with an option for 2017-18.
Key Stats: Averaged a career-high 13.5 points per game. Although his 3-point percentage dropped from 39.3 last season to 34.5 this season, he still made a career-best 154 triples.
In a season riddled with injuries, C.J. Miles, who played in 70 games, was one of the most reliable players on the Pacers' roster. Miles found his way to Indiana via free agency after spending his two seasons prior with the Cavaliers.
When the ignition to the 2014-15 season was turned, Miles appeared to have an engine misfire. Over his first five games, he made just 16 of his 63 (25 percent) shots from the field. But once his calf injury subsided, he quickly emerged as one of the Pacers' most productive scorers. Prior to the All-Star break, Miles was making just 31.1 percent of his threes. After the break, that number soared to 39.7 percent as Miles helped bolster Indiana's offense at a time when it was missing much of its firepower due to injuries.
PHOTO GALLERY: C.J. Miles' 2014-15 Season »
"What we went through, injuries, new players — we had every reason to kind of shut down at certain point," Miles said. "But every guy in that locker room, and coaching staff, and guys in front office, showed we are a winning organization. And that's what we're going to try to do every night and every year and I think that's really important to the culture."
Miles was certainly expected to contribute this year, but the degree to which he sparked the offense came as a pleasant surprise. C.J. led the team in scoring on 21 occasions, more than any other player on the team. On December 12 against the Clippers, Miles made seven 3-pointers on 14 attempts, season highs for the Pacers on both counts. On New Years Eve, Miles tallied 25 points and seven rebounds against the Heat while adding a season-high four assists in the home victory.
"I felt like I was really able to help the team which is all I want to do," said Miles after the season. "So I'm going to take that and run with it, build on it. Just try to keep on getting better and keep growing."
Miles' season featured more than a couple memorable slams, usually of the one-handed southpaw variety. But most fans will recall the plays in which "3.J." Miles shut the door on opponents, burying shots from behind the arc to either take command of games, or to put them out of reach. In a February game against the Cavs, Miles drained a 3-pointer from the right corner to give the Pacers a two-point lead over a Cleveland team that had won its last 12 games. The bucket helped propel the Pacers to a 103-99 win, and served as one of the most electrifying victories of the Pacers' season.
If there were a knock on Miles' season, it would be his mercurial shooting. Carrying the mentality of a gunner at all times, Miles had his off nights to be sure. However, the amount of games in which his shooting ending up winning games far outnumbered the games in which it was a detriment.
Once the 2014-15 season had drawn to a close, team president Larry Bird spoke highly of George Hill's offseason improvement, and said that he expects Miles to make a similar leap after his first offseason as a member of the Blue & Gold.
"C.J. Miles is going to do the same thing this summer, so we'll see how much better he gets," Bird said. "There's no secret to it, if you work hard, you're going to get better."
And if Miles proved anything in a late-season win over Oklahoma City, when he notched a double-double for the first time since 2008, it's that he's no stranger to hard work.