Can Miles get the Blazers hopping?
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Send an Email to Chad Ford Thursday, January 22
Updated: January 22
9:09 AM ET
Darius Miles, where are you?
Last time Miles and I spoke it was early June. Miles was in Chicago, at Hoops Gym, working out with Michael Jordan's personal trainer, Tim Grover. Miles was coming off a horrible season in Cleveland and looked determined to turn into the star many NBA scouts and GMs thought he could be when he went No. 3 in the 2000 NBA Draft.
He was lifting weights, strengthening that surgically repaired knee and working on that tepid jump shot. Day after day, Miles was there. Working, grunting, pushing himself. The NBA season was four months away. The fact that Miles was anywhere near a gym had Grover believing Miles was ready to do something special this season.
"Normally, I have to ride Darius to get him in here," Grover told Insider. "This year it's totally different. I don't have to motivate him anymore. Last year gave him all the motivation he needs."
Darius Miles
Guard-Forward
Portland Trail Blazers
Profile
2003-2004 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
37 8.9 4.5 2.2 .432 .542
The task before Grover was monumental. Charles Barkley, who also frequents the gym, quipped to Insider that "if Tim Grover can teach Darius Miles to shoot then he deserves a lifetime achievement award. I'm not sure if anyone can fix that."
Grover was more concerned about Miles' knee. He didn't rehab it properly the summer before and felt the effects of it on the court.
"We've got to get his explosiveness back," Grover said. "Before, he relied on his athletic ability to get him through. When some of that went away, he was forced to start using his basketball skills instead of his athleticism to beat people. . .He lost his confidence last year. Once you lose that, everything goes downhill. Darius has the ability to be an All-Star in the league. Our goal is to put him in that position this summer."
Fast forward to Wednesday afternoon. Miles is packing his bags again. The explosiveness is back, but the improved game that Miles was supposed to bring with it never materialized. Another season gone awry has forced Cavaliers GM Jim Paxson to make another rash move. He's traded Miles to the Blazers for Jeff McInnis and Ruben Boumtje Boumtje.
Remember how many people in Cleveland thought the Cavs got the better end of the deal when they swapped Andre Miller for Miles 18 months ago? What does it say about Miles that in this short space, Paxson was willing to swap him for a journeyman point guard who, though talented, has a notoriously tough time getting along with his teammates?
"When we traded for Darius, he was a young guy with potential," Paxson said in the press conference Wednesday. "I'm not disappointed [in Miles' development]. Unless you have a crystal ball, you can't determine how quickly a player is going to develop. In two or three years he could become more of a consistent player that's a starter. What I'm worried about is how we can find a way to get better now and win before that time."
In other words, the Cavs saw enough to feel that Miles wasn't in their future. You think watching LeBron dominate every night convinced Paxson that age and lack of college experience weren't Miles' only problems?
All of the talk about Miles' focus, run-ins with coach Paul Silas and his recent bout of sleeping in had nothing to do with it. It's still Miles' inability to shoot the ball that's torpedoing his stock. When Miles is on the break, in the paint, or leaping for an offensive rebound, he's very effective. He takes 44 percent of his shots from close range, dunks or tip ins, and shoots 58 percent from the field doing it. It's the 56 percent that are jumpers that kills him. He's shooting just 33 percent from the field when he takes a jumper.
His jump shot field goal percentage isn't that far off from what LeBron's doing. Seventy percent of James' shots are jumpers, and he's only shooting 36 percent from the field when he takes them. The difference is that James knows how to get his own shot and isn't afraid to take the jumper when a defense sags and gives it to him. Miles freezes. Defenses never play him tight, taking away his ability to explode to the basket.
Said one NBA scout: "Right now Darius is still more of an athlete than a basketball player, but I've seen progress. If he ever learns to shoot, he could be an amazing player. He's got excellent ball handling skills for a guy his size and can run just about anyone out of the gym. It's all about the shot and finding other ways to score when the shot's not falling. I wouldn't give up on him yet."
Blazers GM John Nash felt the same way. He's been trolling for trades for the past six months and really found a winner here. The team planned to waive McInnis this summer (his contract was only guaranteed for $300,000 if he was waived before July 1st) and Boumtje Boumtje was giving them nothing. McInnis never had off-the-court issues in Portland, but sources claim he's a bad chemistry guy -- his teammates weren't fond of playing with him.
In return they get a free look at Miles for 40 games. If the Blazers get out and run, something the Cavs rarely did, he could be a hit. Miles prospered in L.A. bringing energy off the bench and flying up and down the floor. The Cavs' more deliberate style really grounded him. Will he turn into a good jump shooter in that span? It's very doubtful, but what the Blazers will be looking for is evidence that he can do enough other things (run the floor, rebound, defend, block shots) to justify re-signing him this summer.
Rasheed Wallace is as good as gone whether he's traded or leaves via free agency. Nash had to start thinking about his replacement. If Miles is a bust, the team loses nothing. The Blazers will just let him slip away in free agency this summer. If he's a hit, they own his Bird Rights and can lock him up. It's a gamble worth taking on such a talented kid.
Chalk this one up as a nice win for the Blazers and one last chance for Miles to prove his growing number of detractors wrong.
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Send an Email to Chad Ford Thursday, January 22
Updated: January 22
9:09 AM ET
Darius Miles, where are you?
Last time Miles and I spoke it was early June. Miles was in Chicago, at Hoops Gym, working out with Michael Jordan's personal trainer, Tim Grover. Miles was coming off a horrible season in Cleveland and looked determined to turn into the star many NBA scouts and GMs thought he could be when he went No. 3 in the 2000 NBA Draft.
He was lifting weights, strengthening that surgically repaired knee and working on that tepid jump shot. Day after day, Miles was there. Working, grunting, pushing himself. The NBA season was four months away. The fact that Miles was anywhere near a gym had Grover believing Miles was ready to do something special this season.
"Normally, I have to ride Darius to get him in here," Grover told Insider. "This year it's totally different. I don't have to motivate him anymore. Last year gave him all the motivation he needs."
Darius Miles
Guard-Forward
Portland Trail Blazers
Profile
2003-2004 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
37 8.9 4.5 2.2 .432 .542
The task before Grover was monumental. Charles Barkley, who also frequents the gym, quipped to Insider that "if Tim Grover can teach Darius Miles to shoot then he deserves a lifetime achievement award. I'm not sure if anyone can fix that."
Grover was more concerned about Miles' knee. He didn't rehab it properly the summer before and felt the effects of it on the court.
"We've got to get his explosiveness back," Grover said. "Before, he relied on his athletic ability to get him through. When some of that went away, he was forced to start using his basketball skills instead of his athleticism to beat people. . .He lost his confidence last year. Once you lose that, everything goes downhill. Darius has the ability to be an All-Star in the league. Our goal is to put him in that position this summer."
Fast forward to Wednesday afternoon. Miles is packing his bags again. The explosiveness is back, but the improved game that Miles was supposed to bring with it never materialized. Another season gone awry has forced Cavaliers GM Jim Paxson to make another rash move. He's traded Miles to the Blazers for Jeff McInnis and Ruben Boumtje Boumtje.
Remember how many people in Cleveland thought the Cavs got the better end of the deal when they swapped Andre Miller for Miles 18 months ago? What does it say about Miles that in this short space, Paxson was willing to swap him for a journeyman point guard who, though talented, has a notoriously tough time getting along with his teammates?
"When we traded for Darius, he was a young guy with potential," Paxson said in the press conference Wednesday. "I'm not disappointed [in Miles' development]. Unless you have a crystal ball, you can't determine how quickly a player is going to develop. In two or three years he could become more of a consistent player that's a starter. What I'm worried about is how we can find a way to get better now and win before that time."
In other words, the Cavs saw enough to feel that Miles wasn't in their future. You think watching LeBron dominate every night convinced Paxson that age and lack of college experience weren't Miles' only problems?
All of the talk about Miles' focus, run-ins with coach Paul Silas and his recent bout of sleeping in had nothing to do with it. It's still Miles' inability to shoot the ball that's torpedoing his stock. When Miles is on the break, in the paint, or leaping for an offensive rebound, he's very effective. He takes 44 percent of his shots from close range, dunks or tip ins, and shoots 58 percent from the field doing it. It's the 56 percent that are jumpers that kills him. He's shooting just 33 percent from the field when he takes a jumper.
His jump shot field goal percentage isn't that far off from what LeBron's doing. Seventy percent of James' shots are jumpers, and he's only shooting 36 percent from the field when he takes them. The difference is that James knows how to get his own shot and isn't afraid to take the jumper when a defense sags and gives it to him. Miles freezes. Defenses never play him tight, taking away his ability to explode to the basket.
Said one NBA scout: "Right now Darius is still more of an athlete than a basketball player, but I've seen progress. If he ever learns to shoot, he could be an amazing player. He's got excellent ball handling skills for a guy his size and can run just about anyone out of the gym. It's all about the shot and finding other ways to score when the shot's not falling. I wouldn't give up on him yet."
Blazers GM John Nash felt the same way. He's been trolling for trades for the past six months and really found a winner here. The team planned to waive McInnis this summer (his contract was only guaranteed for $300,000 if he was waived before July 1st) and Boumtje Boumtje was giving them nothing. McInnis never had off-the-court issues in Portland, but sources claim he's a bad chemistry guy -- his teammates weren't fond of playing with him.
In return they get a free look at Miles for 40 games. If the Blazers get out and run, something the Cavs rarely did, he could be a hit. Miles prospered in L.A. bringing energy off the bench and flying up and down the floor. The Cavs' more deliberate style really grounded him. Will he turn into a good jump shooter in that span? It's very doubtful, but what the Blazers will be looking for is evidence that he can do enough other things (run the floor, rebound, defend, block shots) to justify re-signing him this summer.
Rasheed Wallace is as good as gone whether he's traded or leaves via free agency. Nash had to start thinking about his replacement. If Miles is a bust, the team loses nothing. The Blazers will just let him slip away in free agency this summer. If he's a hit, they own his Bird Rights and can lock him up. It's a gamble worth taking on such a talented kid.
Chalk this one up as a nice win for the Blazers and one last chance for Miles to prove his growing number of detractors wrong.
