• Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.

Mike Miller

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

How is Mike Miller going to do this season?

  • He's washed up broken down dead salary

    Votes: 53 41.1%
  • He'll be fine when the bright lights shine

    Votes: 37 28.7%
  • He'll be OK as a bench guy once people adjust their expectations

    Votes: 39 30.2%

  • Total voters
    129
Re: Welcome Mike Miller

Getting way ahead of things, but I'm already curious to see what we do next year with the full MLE, as that exception plus the allure of playing with LeBron should be able to secure a player of a higher caliber than Miller(no knock on on him)
 
Re: Welcome Mike Miller

Getting way ahead of things, but I'm already curious to see what we do next year with the full MLE, as that exception plus the allure of playing with LeBron should be able to secure a player of a higher caliber than Miller(no knock on on him)

No next year you should be more excited about what we do with Brendan Haywood's fully unguaranteed $10 million expiring contract.
 
Re: Welcome Mike Miller

Great signing for cheap, shot 45% from 3 last year with Memphis, he will just get better looks this season with all the attention Kyrie and LeBron draw, drive and kick-outs, etc. Damn, MM has a sweet stroke... From the playoffs this past season:

[video=youtube;OVtPQGLzf6Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVtPQGLzf6Q[/video]
 
Re: Welcome Mike Miller

No be excited about both.....
 
Re: Welcome Mike Miller

For LeBron and Mike Miller, basketball friendship runs deep 3:25 p.m. CDT July 10, 2014



At first glance, it may seem strange that South Dakota's own Mike Miller is linked to one of the most closely followed free agent sagas in sports history.

The future of LeBron James is on everyone's mind, especially since the four-time MVP might leave the Miami Heat to return to his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, whom he spurned four years ago to famously take his talents to South Beach.

Miller joined James in Miami back then and won a pair of NBA titles before being waived by the Heat last summer through the NBA's amnesty clause, an effort to clear salary cap space that James later characterized as costly for team chemistry.

Miller signed with Memphis and was healthy and productive last season, and now the Corn Palace hero might get another shot with King James in Cleveland.

LeBron texted the veteran sharpshooter and former Mitchell Kernel earlier this week to see if he would be interested in hooking up if James left Miami (Miller can't sign with the Heat due to amnesty restrictions. The Cavaliers later contacted Arn Tellem, Miller's agent, to gauge his interest.

Miller, coming off his 14th NBA season and seeking a three-year deal, has plenty of free-agent suitors but is patiently waiting (like nearly everyone else) to see how the James saga plays out. It could be a matter of whether Cleveland can clear enough cap space to bring in Miller (and possibly Ray Allen) after paying maximum money to LeBron.

As the suspense builds, people are desperately seeking clues that long-suffering Cleveland will actually become the center of the NBA universe.

Miller caused a stir Wednesday by posting a photo on Instagram of him shooting a jumper in a practice gym with a framed LeBron Cavaliers jersey in the background. Never mind that the jersey could have been from James' first tour of duty with the Cavs – the conspiracy theories live on.

The part about James and Miller being connected, however, is not far-fetched. They have been friends for a while and share a mutual respect, with James acknowledging not just Miller's 3-point accuracy but his court savvy and instinct for the game.

When James took criticism at times for late-game playoff disappearances in Miami, Miller was always quick to dampen the noise.

"I know on a small scale what scrutiny can do to you," Miller said. "But he knows it on a much larger level."

The friendship actually started when James was a rising prep phenom at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio.

While still playing with Orlando, which drafted him fifth overall in 2000, Miller attended a few of James' games and hit it off with the future No. 1 overall pick, who was also friends with then-Miller teammate Tracy McGrady.

The bond grew stronger when they played together on Team USA during the qualifying tournament for the 2008 Olympics, where James later teamed with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to claim a gold medal in Beijing.

Miller caused a minor stir during the 2009-10 season by sporting James' Nike Zoom Soldier shoes while playing for the Washington Wizards. That angered teammate and LeBron agitator DeShawn Stevenson, who once called James overrated.

"We don't wear those around here," snapped Stevenson. But Miller held firm, poking fun at himself in the process.

"When you're unathletic and white like me, you need to have the lightest shoe out there," he said at the time. "They feel good on my feet."

A few days later, when asked about the shoes, LeBron kept the dialogue going.

"Mike will wear them," he told reporters. "He said he's got to have the best shoes, and I agree with that. Mike is a good friend of mine. We have a good history."

Miller is also close with Maverick Carter, LeBron's close friend and business manager, who was credited (or blamed) for helping to orchestrate the superstar's whirlwind move to Miami.

Miller named his second son Mavrick in honor of the man who spearheaded "The Decision" and now also represents Johnny Manziel, who could soon become Cleveland's second-most-talked-about athlete.

So it wasn't surprising to hear Miller defend James in the face of criticism about how his departure from the Cavaliers was handled.

"It's easy to be a Monday morning quarterback," said Miller at the time. "But you have to remember that (James) was in one of the most unique positions anyone has ever been in. Him leaving the Cavs really affects the team, the fans, the city, the entire state. When other players leave somewhere, it's not the same situation.

"In the end, he needed to do what's best for him and his family. He gave Cleveland everything he had for seven years, and his contract was up. That's what free agency is all about."

Later, after Miller's time with the Heat ended and he returned to Miami last season as a member of the Grizzlies, James had nothing but positive things to say about his contributions to the franchise.

"Yeah, Mike was just that stable guy," James told BleacherReport.com. "With everything he went through, the injuries and being in and out of the lineup, not one day did he ever come to work with an 'I don't want to be here' attitude. Like never. And we all respected that."

Well, fasten your seat belts, folks. The friendship might be heading to a higher level very soon.

http://www.argusleader.com/story/stuwhitney/2014/07/10/lebron-miller-free-agent-cavaliers/12490327/
 
Re: Welcome Mike Miller

great signing if he can stay healthy... was he last year?

With him and wiggins, we can really afford to limit lebrons minutes which we all know is a thing lebron wants.

Next up I hope its a big man, but theres non really out there that are game changers
 
Re: Welcome Mike Miller

great signing if he can stay healthy... was he last year?

With him and wiggins, we can really afford to limit lebrons minutes which we all know is a thing lebron wants.

Next up I hope its a big man, but theres non really out there that are game changers

He didn't miss a game last season.
 
Re: Welcome Mike Miller

Great move.

Will be a very good guy off the bench and has invaluable experience to lend to the youth movement.
 
Re: Welcome Mike Miller

I like the signing. Makes me wonder what if they could have got him in 2007 when he was in his prime.
 
Re: Welcome Mike Miller

great signing if he can stay healthy... was he last year?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1989014-mike-miller-from-near-retirement-after-12-finals-to-not-missing-a-game-in-14

Mike Miller: From Near Retirement After '12 Finals to Not Missing a Game in '14

During the Miami Heat's playoff run in 2012, Mike Miller's back pain was so severe at times that he couldn't even sit on the bench during games.

Then, after only seeing the court for 20 minutes over the first four games of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Miller put on one of the most memorable performances on the NBA's biggest stage: In the championship-clinching Game 5, he lasted 23 minutes with a balky back and shot seven of eight from three-point range.

While Miller seriously considered calling it quits at that point, a month later he said (via The Associated Press), "No retirement. ... Let's party again next year." That's just what he did, helping the Heat defend their title.

Now two years later, at 34 years old, not only has Miller not missed a single game for the Memphis Grizzlies, but he's also the only player on the team—which an NBA scout called the "toughest team to beat" in the playoffs' opening round—to suit up in all of their 63 games. He's also averaging the most minutes (20.8) and points (7.0) since the 2009-10 season.

Speaking with Bleacher Report, Miller shared his remarkable story of recovery, starting with the biggest game of his life. With his consent, his insights are presented here from his first-person perspective, edited for clarity and length.

Game 5 was a blessing.

It was difficult to go through that playoff run. I played in the first round, but then in the second and third it got to be where I couldn't really do much with my body. I hung in there, stayed mentally ready and got an opportunity. For me, it was one of the best things—not only to perform like that on that kind of stage, but also win a championship at the same time. It was a crazy feeling.

During the playoff run, it got to the point where it was tough to do day-to-day things. That's where I got concerned. I think the bulging disc and disc irritation stemmed from my sports hernia surgery in December 2011, which tightened my hips and things like that. I can't tell you how painful my back was—just breathing and doing the things you want to do day to day. And once your back becomes a problem, it's hard to really recover. I can fight through anything basketball-wise, but when you've got kids at home and it's tough to do day-to-day things, you've really got to start putting things into perspective.

When it started getting to the point where the pain was down my leg and I had a hard time feeling my right leg, that's when I really considered retirement. I was honest and open about it, and I told the Heat after the finals, "If I feel like I'm a liability, I don't care how much money is left on my contract."

The first couple of doctors wanted me to have surgery and, for me, surgery was out of the question. My wife, Jennifer, and the kids all had a talk that I would miss basketball way too much. Because if surgery happened, that means a tough recovery, it's hard to come back, we were coming off a championship and it doesn't look good for me. So I knew that in order to do the day-to-day things and the family things, I was going to have work at it anyways. So why not get the motivation to come back and play at the same time?

That's when I was fortunate enough to meet renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Barth Green through the Heat organization. To leave Green's office saying that we can get this done without surgery and the way he wanted to approach it was exactly what I wanted. When you and your doctor are on the same page on a rehab, on any kind of injury, it's refreshing to hear. He really did have an impact on changing not only my professional basketball life, but my life in general and the way I wanted to carry my body the rest of the way.

The approach was basically reworking my core and strengthening my hips. I honestly tried everything. I was doing yoga, I was doing acupuncture. I tied in the yoga with the core strengthening with the rehab that he had me doing. It all worked, and the warm weather of Miami is always good on the body. I've dealt with a lot of injuries, and it's really the worst one I've ever had to deal with. That's why I worked so hard to make sure that it stays healthy.

More recently, I tried zumba. It's fun, a good cardio thing and it strengthens everything. Also, the next-gen cryo-based chamber that I use at the Grizzlies' practice facility is fantastic. It's almost like a stand-up keg from your neck down and you're in there for three minutes. And then there's a lot more massage and maintenance, like stretching, and working smarter and not harder sometimes. I used to be one of those guys that shoots thousands of shots a day.

But I had to get back my shooting form. When I was dealing with my back, shooting was tough because I'm an up-and-down shooter. When I made those threes in the finals, there was a lot of adjustment because I was dealing with the pain. If you watch the tape, there's a pretty good-sized difference. I was almost like a hunchback. Sometimes it's good because you don't fade as much, but it's more of a bent-over shot. I like to be vertical and straight up and down on my shot.

To be a good vertical shooter again, I made sure my conditioning and my strength was good. Now, I'm more back to where I was three, four years ago when I could get to a vertical spot, I could stop on any kind of dribble and take shots that I want to shoot or make an adjustment. It's weird how a jump shot can be affected by something in your stomach or in your hips, but it is. So what I've really worked on is getting back to the basics and relearning the foundation again.

Through my recovery, I turned to my family who has always been a big basketball family, so obviously I picked their brains. My wife and kids have been unbelievable for me because they're my motivation. My kids love basketball. And you've got to believe that you have a path, and my path is to continue to do this; I know that. All that plays a huge part in what I've been able to do and where I'm going.

I also found inspiration through my former Heat teammate Ray Allen and Kyle Korver, who had an unbelievable shooting streak; I've never seen anything like it. I pick his brain on some things. And with Ray, he made sure that he took care of his body in a way that conditioning-wise, body-wise he could do the same things that he was doing at 26, 27. He's doing it now at 38.

Basketball for me now is a mind thing. I'm a way better basketball player right now than I was when I was 25, 26 years old, just because I understand the game so much better. I know I can't do some of the things when I was 25, 26, but shooting and getting to your spot and getting open I'm better at. Now I've just got to stay healthy to do it. I felt really good last year in Miami and now my body has never felt better.

Reflecting on everything, it starts with the Heat; those are my guys. Anytime you go through what we did the last three years there in Miami, those guys will be friends for life, and that's the whole organization, that's all the players. It's almost a brotherhood for the rest of my life, and I owe a lot in my career to what they did, because you ultimately want to win championships and those guys were the ones that gave me the ability to do that.

Now, it's unbelievable how the full circle comes. I've been able to play with both Gasols—Pau in the past and now Marc—which has been an absolute pleasure because they both understand the game so well. Besides that, our team has built a defensive mindset and that's why we're a playoff-type team. We like our chances against anyone in the West. It's going to be very difficult, but it's about making sure we take care of these games coming forward now.

My motivation when I came back was to play for a long period of time and to be an asset on a playoff-type team. For shooters like myself and the Kyle Korvers and the J.J. Redicks and the Ray Allens, they are an absolute huge asset for championship-type contending teams because they make the job so much easier for the other guys, and vice versa. That's why teams make playoff pushes just because of floor spacing and things like that. So my whole thing now is getting back to where I want to be with a championship team.

As a reminder for others who have back pain, it's all about work like anything else. If you want to be better at something, you've got to work at it. If you want to feel better about something, you work at it. Thirty-four is not an old age in the league right now. So whenever you're motivated to do something, you can do it. That's really the bottom line.
 
Re: Welcome Mike Miller

The thing that amazes me about Miller is that despite how broken down he appeared in Miami he played a full 82 games last year.

I love some Jesus Shuttlesworth but realistically I'd rather have Miller if it came down to the two of them. Ray is about to hit 39, has to hit a wall soon.

Not sure what wall he's going to hit. ALl he's called upon to do is shot threes. He's always been in shape every single year since he joined the Celtics. He could shoot into his 40s if he probably wanted to.
 

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Video

Episode 3-13: "Backup Bash Brothers"

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Spotify

Episode 3:11: "Clipping Bucks."
Top