Since 2005, free agent swingman CJ Miles played 389 career games for the Utah Jazz. According to a report from The Salt Lake Tribune this morning, he will not play 390.
Miles had been linked to the Los Angeles Lakers in recent days, while also generating interest from the Dallas Mavericks, Milwaukee Bucks and Houston Rockets in addition to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In an agreement that hasn't included an actual contract value, the Cavaliers have reportedly signed Miles to play in Cleveland over the next two seasons. Brian T. Smith with the Tribune had the report:
Miles is expected to sign a two-year deal with Cleveland and compete for a starting spot during the 2012-13 season.His growing bond with Cavaliers coach Byron Scott and the opportunity Cleveland presented him heavily factored into his decision."He's so happy," the source said.
For his career CJ Miles is a 8.4 point per game scorer to go along with 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. He scored 40 points in a March game during the 2010 season against Minnesota, and averaged 9 points per game last season. He played better alongside Deron Williams than he did when Devin Harris took over, which is expected. He'll now have a chance to play alongside the reigning Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving.
He reportedly signed with Cleveland for less money under the idea that he'd have more of an opportunity to play. Last year Omri Casspi started the first half of the games, before Alonzo Gee took over starting duties mid-way through the season. While Casspi is under contract in Cleveland for the 2012-13 season, Gee is currently a free agent. There's a thought that he still could sign with the Cavaliers for this year, and possibly spend some time at the SG spot as well.
After coming out of high school in Dallas, Miles struggled to get his NBA career going. Jerry Sloan once famously said something about Miles playing in diapers after a game in Utah when CJ was 19. He's 25 years old now, and worked his way back into the NBA rotation through the D-League for a couple of seasons from 2005-07. Byron Scott will apparently give him the opportunity to compete for the starting job next year in Cleveland.
