Grizzlies re-sign Miles, ignore Blazers' threat of litigation

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Memphis Grizzlies re-signed forward Darius Miles on Saturday despite a threat of legal action by the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Trail Blazers sent an e-mail to executives around the NBA this week concerning Miles. On Friday, team president Larry Miller said the Blazers took action because of talk that teams were considering signing the forward to hurt Portland financially.

Miles is coming back from major knee surgery. If he plays two more games, Portland will be on the hook for the $18 million left on his contract. That would count against its salary cap and force the team to pay luxury tax.

Memphis, which waived Miles on Wednesday, signed him to a 10-day contract. General manager Chris Wallace insists Miles can be a plus.

"Darius did everything asked of him in his initial stint with the Grizzlies and was well received by his teammates," Wallace said. "In the last Minnesota game, his length, experience, rebounding, shot blocking and defense on one of the elite post scorers in the league, Al Jefferson, were all impressive. Our young team is short on frontcourt players and can use a veteran with his attributes."

Miller sent an e-mail to fellow NBA executives Thursday night, aware that Miles was set to clear waivers the next day.

"We were hearing a lot of rumblings and rumors that there were teams out there planning to sign Darius Miles specifically and maliciously to hurt our organization," Miller said on a conference call Friday. "This was our way of responding to that and letting folks know that we were not going to take it sitting down."

Miller defended his tactics, even after the players union announced plans to file a grievance against the Trail Blazers.

"Our purpose here was not in any way to keep Darius from being able to play," Miller said. "If he can come back and help a team to win and play at a level on the court that helps the team, we have no problem with that at all."

On Saturday night before the Blazers played Golden State, Portland general manager Kevin Pritchard said the Grizzlies' move does not change the team's position.

"We've always said this isn't anything to do with Darius," Pritchard said. "This is about if another team is trying to hurt us, then we have some recourse."

The union said it will "vigorously defend" Miles' rights.

"We are shocked at the brazen attempt by the Portland Trail Blazers to try to prevent Darius Miles from continuing his NBA career," players' association director Billy Hunter said in a statement.