Here’s why Darius received a medical retirement and the aftermath:
1. Darius injured his knee.
2. Darius had microfracture surgery, and had setbacks. He didn’t play for two years.
3. The Blazers doctors found that his cartilage didn’t regrow; this is dangerous. His knee is scraping bone-on-bone.
4. The Blazers doctors recommended he not play again, and retire. They sent a request to the league.
5. The NBA and Darius Miles NBA Players Association sent an independent doctor to investigate.
6. The independent doctor (representing Darius!) said: Darius could play again, but at extreme risk to his knee, likely forcing a full knee replacement later.
7. The NBA allowed his medical retirement due to the severity of his condition. He’s still getting his full paycheck.
8. Darius signed paperwork stating he understands the doctor’s findings.
Time Passes.
9. Darius starts a comeback. Even though he was told by his own (NBA PA) doctor that playing again will likely force knee replacement or reconstruction, he wants to anyway.
10. He plays a few preseason games, with minimal impact.
11. Memphis signs him with just enough time to get 10 suspension games in before the non-guarantee deadline, then plays him in a few games and releases him.
12. News reports say the preseason games count. If a team plays him two more games, just for a minute, Portland loses cap, goes into luxury tax, and non-tax teams get over $200,000 apiece.
13. Portland sends out a private note stating “If you want to play him to play him, great. If you want to play him to screw us over, or make additional money off us, that’s against NBA principles and we’ll fight it”
Now, here’s what you said:
It’s obvious his knee problems weren’t career ending, and he wasn’t a typical medical retirement case.
Now, to recap the above: Darius was medically retired because of a long term problem and told he shouldn’t play again, not that he can’t.
In order for what you said to be accurate, that means that suddenly he grew cartilage in his knee. And that he suddenly is no longer playing bone-on-bone.
If those facts are still true, the reason for his medical retirement is still valid. He’s simply ignoring it and playing anyway, to his long-term detriment, and against the advice of the NBA and his own Player’s Association, who supported his retirement.
So every time you say “Look he can play basketball again! Clearly his medical retirement is invalid!”, all you’re doing is showing that you did not fully understand the reason for his medical retirement. The fact that he can play is irrelevant to the retirement settlement; the real fact is that he shouldn’t play, for his long-term health. And that’s why he was retired by the league.
Your original post is like telling everyone “I didn’t know the reason for his medical retirement”. It’s making you look bad, not the Blazers.
