NBA tells teams it's OK to sign Darius Miles

            Former Trailblazer, Darius Miles

Update from the NBA: The Portland threat of legal action against any team in the NBA that picks up Darius Miles has been added to the agenda of an already scheduled meeting today, between the NBA and players association representatives.That is according to Chris Sheridan of espn.com.

In its standard notification to all teams regarding players that clear waivers, the league did something unusual says Sheridan.

It included the following language:

Teams are free to sign Darius Miles to a Uniform Player Contract. Any such contract would be approved by the NBA."

Sheridan polled league executives who claimed it was a first for a typical league memo about player availability off the waiver wire.

Sounds to me like the NBA is taking sides and the Portland Trailblazers are on notice.  The original article from earlier today follows.

Have you ever encountered a friend who is newly divorced but mad at someone who has swooped in to make the ex-spouse happy again while he/she is being paid alimony by your pal?

Welcome to the sad tale of the Portland Trailblazers. They gave Darius Miles big money to come to them back in 2006. Within months he had surgery that kept him out for more than a year. Last season their doctors declared his injuries to be career-ending.

They cut him and magically his $9 million per year came off their books as a result of the medical diagnosis. They are able to avoid luxury taxes and have room to add a big free agent. But Miles' injuries are sort of that glass half-full or half-empty kind.

That circumstance allows other NBA teams to differ in their diagnoses and try him out to see if he is useful to them. The Celtics had him in a few pre-season games and Memphis picked him up for two games and just cut him.

The quirky NBA rules say that after if he is signed for ten games all that dough gets slapped back onto the Blazers' active payroll. That puts the other teams in the position of playing the role of spoiler for the hopes of the Blazers.

Portland has launched a preemptive strike by threatening legal action against any team that signs Miles. They will presume it is solely for the purpose of hurting the Blazers rather than legitimate interest in Miles.

That might be enough to keep the other owners at bay since if the Grizzlies couldn't use the guy you have to assume he is finished. But don't tell me there isn't one owner in the league who has the guts to test Portland's resolve. Especially one in the Western Conference, maybe in Texas???

Here is the full statement issued by the Trailblazers:

"Team Presidents and General Managers,

"The Portland Trail Blazers are aware that certain teams may be contemplating signing Darius Miles to a contract for the purpose of adversely impacting the Portland Trail Blazers Salary Cap and tax positions. Such conduct from a team would violate its fiduciary duty as an NBA joint venturer. In addition, persons or entities involved in such conduct may be individually liable to the Portland Trail Blazers for tortuously interfering with the Portland Trail Blazers' contract rights and perspective economic opportunities.

"Please be aware that if a team engages in such conduct, the Portland Trail Blazers will take all necessary steps to safeguard its rights, including, without limitation, litigation.''