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Better Know A Free Agent: CJ Miles

Presswire

Depending on what the Washington Wizards do with Andray Blatche and Rashard Lewis, they could have around $12 million of salary-cap space to spend this summer. It remains to be seen if the Wizards actually use it or bank it towards the 2013 class, but in any event, there are a number of free agents that could help the team's push into playoff contention. We'll take a look at several of those options in this running series. Next up: CJ Miles.

PREVIOUSLY: Eric Gordon, Nicolas Batum, O.J. Mayo, Ryan Anderson, Courtney Lee, Gerald Wallace, Ersan Ilyasova, Carlos Delfino, Lou Williams, Danny Green, George Hill, Marco Belinelli, Landry Fields, Brandon Rush.

Team: Utah Jazz

Type: Unrestricted free agent.

This past year: Really struggled with his shot all year, contributing to one of his worst seasons as a pro. Did not do a good job adjusting to new coach Ty Corbin's style, and in fact criticized Corbin's style on the way out. Suffered a season-ending injury late in the year, and that was before he started to see his minutes squeezed by the emergence of DeMarre Carroll.

Why he's fit in well: Miles has skills, and when his shot isn't deserting him like it was last year, he's a really effective bench player, capable of running pick and roll, speeding down the court in transition and hitting open jumpers. Two years ago, he was very proficient at getting his offense off the pick and roll in particular. He also has good size and versatility, so you can play him at either wing position.

Why he might not: Despite his gifts, he has never been particularly efficient as an offensive player. He often settles for jumpers, making life especially difficult on himself. He also is incredibly inconsistent, even though he's now been in the league for seven years. He's had many opportunities to secure a long-term spot in the Jazz's future and has failed to take them.

Likely price tag: A few years ago, he was given a four-year, $15 million offer sheet by the Oklahoma City Thunder. That seems like his upper end now.

Verdict: I've always liked Miles' talent, and I suspect he's probably been in Utah for too long to prosper. A change of scenery should suit him well. That said, his inconsistency is probably not a good match with a Wizards team that is searching for reliability in their supporting players.