Sports Illustrated’s Ian Thomsen (a Portlander, by the way) has received a copy of a memo sent out by Trail Blazer president Larry Miller that threatens other teams that may want to sign Miles. It says:
“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.”
Miles’ agent, Jeff Wechsler, has all along accused the Blazers of trying to blackball his client and it’s possible this memo helps his cause. I don’t know what the team was trying to accomplish with this thing, but there are unintended consequences in a league full of teams that may already resent Paul Allen’s heavy wallet.
Among the people I’ve talked to within the league, nobody can ever remember a note like this going around to other teams, threatening legal action over something like signing a player to a 10-day contract. But on the other hand, the Miles situation has been bizarre for months now.
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Tags: Darius Miles, Ian Thomsen, Larry Miller, Paul Allen, Portland Trail Blazers