Grizzlies sign F Miles to second 10-day contract

[Boob-No-More]

Let the futility continue. At least a 20-game losing streak sounds about right.

I'm thinking 48 is a possibility. They're at 11 with 37 games to play. And before I even look at the schedule... it doesn't matter. They've had a very easy schedule during their current 11-game losing streak and they are still losing by double digits to the (other) worst teams in the league.

BNM

 

[Boob-No-More]

They waived Steve Francis, putting them at 13 players, so they either had to make a trade, sign Darius, or sign someone else for the rest of the season to keep at the league minimum of 13 players.

No. They could just sign D-league scrubs to two 10-day contracts each for the rest of the season to meet the 13 player minimum requirement. Given the cheapness of their owner, I'm surprised they didn't choose this route. Once Miles becomes guaranteed, he gets the pro-rated vets minimum for the rest of the season. D-league rejects on 10-day contracts would be cheaper. And, it's not like the results could possibly be any worse.

BNM

 

[maxiep]

Miles has a 19.6 PER this year.

Of course it's in limited minutes, but that's pretty damn good.

Ed O.

I'd be interested to see what his +/- number is. My guess is that it's at least -150.

 

[maxiep]

Wasn't this supposed to be the test for whether Memphis was signing Miles in good faith? So don't they pass?

In my mind they do. Or they're afraid if they dump him now they're guaranteeing a lawsuit. MEM has the league-minimum 13 players, most of whom suck. It's not really costing them much.

 

[Ed O]

Miles has 2 assists in 8 or 9 games and has lost every game in which he's played significant minutes.

That he only has two assists and still has such a great PER is amazing. He must be doing well in other respects.

As for losing every game in which he played... is that a shocker? This team sucks whether Miles is there or not.

I'm curious to hear how the Grizzlies signing him for the rest of the year is consistent with your relentless "The Grizzlies Are Out to Screw Portland!" conspiracy theory...

Ed O.

 

[alex42083]

I'd be interested to see what his +/- number is. My guess is that it's at least -150.

http://www.82games.com/0809/0809MEM1.HTM

Only -39, but adjusting it to the percentage of the minutes he's played... that's pretty bad.

 

[Boob-No-More]

As for losing every game in which he played... is that a shocker? This team sucks whether Miles is there or not.

Well, not to split hairs, but they suck worse, considerably worse, with him than before him. Darko's return should mean even fewer minutes for Miles, and that's a good thing for Memphis. Darko will never be good enough to justify his high draft pick, but he's a WAY better back-up 4/5 than Miles.

BNM

 

[Ed O]

Well, not to split hairs, but they suck worse, considerably worse, with him than before him. Darko's return should mean even fewer minutes for Miles, and that's a good thing for Memphis. Darko will never be good enough to justify his high draft pick, but he's a WAY better back-up 4/5 than Miles.

Do they suck worse with Miles than they would with, say, Shavlik Randolph? I doubt it.

Any end-of-the-bench kind of guy is going to be markedly worse than Darko, who was dramatically overrated by many (including me) coming into the NBA but is still starting-level.

Ed O.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Do they suck worse with Miles than they would with, say, Shavlik Randolph? I doubt it.

Impossible to prove one way or the other, but yes, I think they do suck worse with Miles than they would with Shavlik. But that's just my opinion based on watching both players in pre-season and very limited regular season minutes.

You already played the high PER in very limited minutes card for Miles. So, I'll counter with the equally meaningless and even more ridiculous higher PER and even fewer minutes card for Shavlik.

And, for a young team like Memphis, a younger, heathier, cheaper player like Randolph would be a much better fit.

BNM

 

[STOMP]

for a young team like Memphis, a younger, heathier, cheaper player like Randolph would be a much better fit.

I've been assuming you're tongue has been firmly in cheek but I'm starting to have my doubts. As the 15th man whats your job? To clap without sulking, be available for practice and mop up minutes, and not create a distraction. For all I know Miles is doing all of these things and providing Rudy Gay with a ghost of NBA future example of how fleeting his window to excel is.

Both Randolph and Miles cost relatively very few NBA dollars and quibbling the difference Miles commands is petty. The 1/4 Mil. or so that Miles will command over Shavlic will not prevent the Griz from doing anything.

http://www.insidehoops.com/minimum-nba-salary.shtml

STOMP

 

[Boob-No-More]

I've been assuming you're tongue has been firmly in cheek but I'm starting to have my doubts. As the 15th man whats your job? To clap without sulking, be available for practice and mop up minutes, and not create a distraction. For all I know Miles is doing all of these things and providing Rudy Gay with a ghost of NBA future example of how fleeting his window to excel is.

Both Randolph and Miles cost relatively very few NBA dollars and quibbling the difference Miles commands is petty. The 1/4 Mil. or so that Miles will command over Shavlic will not prevent the Griz from doing anything.

http://www.insidehoops.com/minimum-nba-salary.shtml

STOMP

We pretty much agree. The 15th man (or 13th man in Miles' case) is pretty much irrelevant. Which makes Miles on the Grizzlies even more puzzling (alleged ulterior motives aside)

Does Miles help them win games? Evidently not. Does he fit into their long terms plans? I don't see it. Is he an injury waiting to happen? Multiple independent doctors seemed to think so. So, why Miles over some young guy who actually has a chance to improve and stick with your franchise?

BNM

 

[barfo]

So, why Miles over some young guy who actually has a chance to improve and stick with your franchise?

BNM

Young guys all want to play for an NBA team.

barfo

 

[Boob-No-More]

Young guys all want to play for an NBA team.

Yes, and some, given the chance, are actually capable of doing so.

BNM

 

[barfo]

Yes, and some, given the chance, are actually capable of doing so.

BNM

Yeah, I was trying to jokingly call Memphis not an NBA team.

barfo

 

[alex42083]

I'm thinking 48 is a possibility. They're at 11 with 37 games to play. And before I even look at the schedule... it doesn't matter. They've had a very easy schedule during their current 11-game losing streak and they are still losing by double digits to the (other) worst teams in the league.

BNM

You got me curious to look at their schedule now and considering they couldn't beat OKC, this might be tough to find them a win here.

Jan. 31 vs Lakers - 12 in a row
Feb. 2 @ Washington - (maybe?)
Feb. 4 vs Houston - 14 in a row if they can't get past Washington
Feb. 6 vs. LA Clippers - (maybe?)
Feb. 7 vs. Toronto - 16 in a row
Feb. 9 vs. New Orleans - 17 in a row
Feb. 11 @ Philadelphia - 18 in a row
Feb. 17 @ Utah - 19 in a row

And who would be their landmark 20th loss in a row if they make it that far?

Feb. 18 @ Portland! - Back to back road games. First game back for Darius. That'd be quite the landmark. I'm now rooting for Memphis to lose every game until we get them so we can give them No. 20.

 

[maxiep]

http://www.82games.com/0809/0809MEM1.HTM

Only -39, but adjusting it to the percentage of the minutes he's played... that's pretty bad.

Perhaps they're calculating it a different way, becuase that number has to be a lot bigger than that. Two games ago he had a -23. I don't recall an instance where his number was ever positive.

 

[Masbee]

I've been assuming you're tongue has been firmly in cheek but I'm starting to have my doubts. As the 15th man whats your job? To clap without sulking, be available for practice and mop up minutes, and not create a distraction......

This, I think, is where the problem may lie.

I am guessing that Miles HAS BEEN a distraction for the Grizzlies.

The transparent attempt to play games with other teams, to tweak a "rock star" GM, to thumb your nose at a rich and obnoxious owner, has nothing to do with what the young players on that squad are trying to do and build.

Imagine you are Gay, Mayo, Gasol, Conley, etc. You are trying to build a team, get better, learn how to play a team game, all while being competitive and stealing a few games here and there. And this is what happens early in the season.

Along comes this Miles thing, and as a player you can't fathom what the heck this dude is brought it for. And you get miffed when the reporters mostly want to interview him, and when they do talk to you it is to ask questions about Miles. Then it starts to dawn on you that the ownership and management are clueless and not committed to builiding a competitive program.

Kinda sucks the life out of the effort. Being confronted with the reality of the situation. Collapse follows.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Perhaps they're calculating it a different way, becuase that number has to be a lot bigger than that. Two games ago he had a -23. I don't recall an instance where his number was ever positive.

Well, since they haven't won a game since Miles set foot on the floor (11 in a row, by an average of 13.2 points), I'd guess they don't have a single player with a positive +/- during the Miles "era".

They don't list the +/- in the player game logs atnba.com, but if you go to Miles' game log you can click on the individual game scores to see the complete box score for each game he's played in. I didn't bother to check them all, but Miles did have a +1 in the last 1:46 of that 20-point blow out win over Dallas that unleashed the curse. I'll leave it up to you to check the other nine games and do the math.

BNM

 

[maxiep]

Well, since they haven't won a game since Miles set foot on the floor (11 in a row, by an average of 13.2 points), I'd guess they don't have a single player with a positive +/- during the Miles "era".

They don't list the +/- in the player game logs atnba.com, but if you go to Miles' game log you can click on the individual game scores to see the complete box score for each game he's played in. I didn't bother to check them all, but Miles did have a +1 in the last 1:46 of that 20-point blow out win over Dallas that unleashed the curse. I'll leave it up to you to check the other nine games and do the math.

BNM

Yeah, I didn't have the energy to compile those figures from the box scores. My bad about missing that +1, however.

 

[Ed O]

This, I think, is where the problem may lie.

I am guessing that Miles HAS BEEN a distraction for the Grizzlies.

The transparent attempt to play games with other teams, to tweak a "rock star" GM, to thumb your nose at a rich and obnoxious owner, has nothing to do with what the young players on that squad are trying to do and build.

Imagine you are Gay, Mayo, Gasol, Conley, etc. You are trying to build a team, get better, learn how to play a team game, all while being competitive and stealing a few games here and there. And this is what happens early in the season.

Along comes this Miles thing, and as a player you can't fathom what the heck this dude is brought it for. And you get miffed when the reporters mostly want to interview him, and when they do talk to you it is to ask questions about Miles. Then it starts to dawn on you that the ownership and management are clueless and not committed to builiding a competitive program.

Kinda sucks the life out of the effort. Being confronted with the reality of the situation. Collapse follows.

Is Miles really getting interviewed that often? And, if he is, would it be better for the young players if they had to explain why they're not a very good team?

As for Miles's presence: I do not know him personally, and I don't know what his attitude is like now, but he has to be hungry for another chance to have come this far back, and I think that kind of hunger would have a positive effect on young players who are stuck in a horrible situation on a terrible team with no significant veteran influences.

I think a lot of the people on this board are SO SURE that Memphis is trying to screw us over that they don't recognize that Memphis might be taking actions independent of the Trail Blazers and, like innumerable bad teams in NBA history, they are doomed to lose dozens of games no matter what they do.

Ed O.

 

[Boob-No-More]

like innumerable bad teams in NBA history, they are doomed to lose dozens of games no matter what they do.

Not doomed, cursed.

BNM

 

[Masbee]

Is Miles really getting interviewed that often? And, if he is, would it be better for the young players if they had to explain why they're not a very good team?

As for Miles's presence: I do not know him personally, and I don't know what his attitude is like now, but he has to be hungry for another chance to have come this far back, and I think that kind of hunger would have a positive effect on young players who are stuck in a horrible situation on a terrible team with no significant veteran influences.

I think a lot of the people on this board are SO SURE that Memphis is trying to screw us over that they don't recognize that Memphis might be taking actions independent of the Trail Blazers and, like innumerable bad teams in NBA history, they are doomed to lose dozens of games no matter what they do.

Ed O.

You are right.

All of this could just be one big crazy set of coincidences.

But, then again, all this circumstantial evidence and conjecture could be as it seems in a plausible scenario.

Think of it this way. You mention that Memphis is a bad team. This is true.

They are a bad team because they are run badly. On balance, they have made too many poor trades and botched too many drafts.

Teams that are run badly are run by poor managers. Poor managers that make poor decisions.

Being fixated on the Blazers and/or KP, instead of focusing on your own situation, would be an example of poor management.

Thus, though we cannot prove that Memphis has acted the way we claim, we cannot exclude this behavior on the theory that good managers would not act this way.

 

[JE]

Not doomed, cursed.

BNM

Get off it, will you?

 

[Boob-No-More]

Get off it, will you?

Sure, just as soon as the Grizzlies win.

What's wrong? Can't I have a little fun at the expense of a franchise that deserves to be mocked?

BNM

 

[Ed O]

Sure, just as soon as the Grizzlies win.

What's wrong? Can't I have a little fun at the expense of a franchise that deserves to be mocked?

No fun!

Ed O.

 

[STOMP]

This, I think, is where the problem may lie.

I am guessing that Miles HAS BEEN a distraction for the Grizzlies.

The transparent attempt to play games with other teams, to tweak a "rock star" GM, to thumb your nose at a rich and obnoxious owner, has nothing to do with what the young players on that squad are trying to do and build.

Imagine you are Gay, Mayo, Gasol, Conley, etc. You are trying to build a team, get better, learn how to play a team game, all while being competitive and stealing a few games here and there. And this is what happens early in the season.

Along comes this Miles thing, and as a player you can't fathom what the heck this dude is brought it for. And you get miffed when the reporters mostly want to interview him, and when they do talk to you it is to ask questions about Miles. Then it starts to dawn on you that the ownership and management are clueless and not committed to builiding a competitive program.

Kinda sucks the life out of the effort. Being confronted with the reality of the situation. Collapse follows.

Imagine you are Gay, Mayo, Gasol, Conley, etc. and you aren't really concerned about the guy on the end of the bench because he's well down the list of your concerns. Is KG losing sleep over Patrick Bryant? The media attention DM's drawing over contractual nonsense is not only unrelated to you but it's become a convenient distracting storyline averting attention from how badly the season is going for all the Griz guys who do see court and make more then minimal salary. Lord knows you aren't looking to do media after yet another loss... who enjoys facing that music?

I'm guessing my fantasy world is much more like reality then yours

STOMP

 

[Masbee]

Imagine you are Gay, Mayo, Gasol, Conley, etc. and you aren't really concerned about the guy on the end of the bench because he's well down the list of your concerns. Is KG losing sleep over Patrick Bryant? The media attention DM's drawing over contractual nonsense is not only unrelated to you but it's become a convenient distracting storyline averting attention from how badly the season is going for all the Griz guys who do see court and make more then minimal salary. Lord knows you aren't looking to do media after yet another loss... who enjoys facing that music?

I'm guessing my fantasy world is much more like reality then yours

STOMP

What part of "guessing" did you have a problem understanding in my post.

Your attempt at a comeback is therefore entirely redundant.

 

[Boob-No-More]

12 in a row.

The curse lives. Long live the curse.

BNM

 

[PapaG]

I'll point out that the curse is over at least in terms of a losing streak, but I'll add that Miles has played 29 minutes in the two games since he was signed for the year. His stats:

2 points on 1-3 shooting
2 blocks
2 turnovers
2 fouls
1-3 FGs
0-0 FTs
1 rebound
3 assists
1 steal

Contract signed, and aggressive Darius apparently no longer exists.

 

[Boob-No-More]

I'll point out that the curse is over at least in terms of a losing streak

Well, they played the worst team in the league. Somebody had to win.

BNM