Darius Miles has worked out for several teams, including Boston, Phoenix, New Jersey and Dallas, and it appears the question is not if the former Blazer forward makes a return to the NBA next season, but with what team.
"Darius' talent is there, and his health is better than we were led to believe," said Danny Ainge, Boston's executive director of basketball operations/general manager. Last spring, an independent medical examiner appointed by the NBA and its' Players Association declared the 6-9 Miles to have a "career-ending" knee injury. Miles underwent microfracture surgery on the knee in November 2006.
It was an important gain for Portland, which was able to take the $18 million Miles was due the next two seasons off its salary cap. However, if Miles were to play 10 games with another team over the next two years, his salary would return to the Blazers' cap.
"I'm physically 100 percent," said Miles, 26. "I'm not in (basketball) shape, but healthwise and bodywise, I'm 100 percent. I have the explosion back. I can move."
If he returns, Miles must serve a 10-game suspension for what was reportedly a failed drug test for the weight-loss drug Phentermine.
