PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Trail Blazers president Larry Miller believes rival teams are considering signing Darius Miles not because he can help on the court, but because it would hurt the Trail Blazers in the wallet.

"Our issue is if a team is trying to do something malicious to hurt us financially," Miller said Friday on a conference call, less than a day after sending an e-mail threatening teams with legal action if they add the former Blazers forward who is attempting a comeback from major knee surgery.

The Memphis Grizzlies apparently are prepared to ignore Miller's e-mail. General manager Chris Wallace told The Commercial Appeal on Friday night the team planned to sign Miles to a 10-day contract.

Miles' comeback could potentially be very expensive for the Blazers.

If he plays in two more games this season, Portland would be on the hook for $18 million — the amount remaining on his contract, which would count against Portland's salary cap and force the team to pay luxury tax.

So Miller defended his aggressive action, even after the players' association announced plans to file a grievance against the Trail Blazers over it.

"Our purpose here was not in any way to keep Darius from being able to play," Miller said. "If he can come back and help a team to win and play at a level on the court that helps the team, we have no problem with that at all.

Miller sent the e-mail to fellow NBA executives Thursday night, aware that Miles was due to clear waivers Friday.

"We were hearing a lot of rumblings and rumors that there were teams out there planning to sign Darius Miles specifically and maliciously to hurt our organization," Miller said. "This was our way of responding to that and letting folks know that we were not going to take it sitting down."

The players' association won't, either.

"We are shocked at the brazen attempt by the Portland Trail Blazers to try to prevent Darius Miles from continuing his NBA career," players' association director Billy Hunter said in a statement.

"Their attempt to intimidate the other 29 NBA teams by threatening frivolous litigation merely for signing this capable NBA veteran is a clear violation of the anti-collusion and other provisions of our Collective Bargaining Agreement. We will vigorously defend Darius' rights."

Miller said Friday that Portland team executives sent the e-mail with the "sole purpose of protecting our organization." He added that he had informed the league office of the team's intention to send the e-mail.

Miller wrote: "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," the e-mail reads, according to SI.com and Yahoo.com, which obtained it. "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."

Though he did not offer any explanation of exactly how the Blazers would prove that another team signed Miles with the sole intention of impacting Portland's bottom line, Miller said the team would "cross that bridge if and when we come to it."

Miles' contract would become guaranteed for the rest of the season if he plays in 10 games. He already has played in eight games this season — six preseason games for the Boston Celtics, then two games for the Grizzlies before being released earlier his week.

Before playing in Toronto on Friday, Memphis coach Marc Iavaroni said he "wouldn't rule out" re-signing Miles, who was waived by the team Tuesday.

As a result of Miller's e-mail, the issue was discussed Friday at a previously scheduled meeting between NBA and players' union attorneys.

"Under league rules, teams are free to sign Darius Miles to a Uniform Player Contract if they wish to secure his services as a player, and any such contract would be approved by the NBA," the league said in a memo sent to teams.

Miles' agent, Jeff Wechsler, could not be reached for comment.

Miller's e-mail incensed at least one NBA owner — the Cleveland Cavaliers' Dan Gilbert, who fired off an e-mail of his own to NBA executives.

He wrote he has no interest in signing Miles but objected to the tone of Miller's e-mail nonetheless.

"Are legal threats through a mass email the best way to circumvent the known potential consequences that could result from the Trailblazers decisions and actions they took with respect to Darius Miles?" Gilbert wrote in the e-mail obtained by the AP. "... I fully understand the frustration you and your team's ownership must be feeling in regards to this situation, but a preemptive threat of 'litigation' directed at all of your partners through a group email does not sit well with me ...."

The contents of Gilbert's e-mail first were reported by Yahoo.com.

Portland waived Miles, who has not played for the team since microfracture surgery on his right knee in November 2006, at the end of last season after determining he was medically unable to play.

Miles, the third overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2000 NBA draft, was on the Blazers' roster from 2004-08. He signed a six-year, $48 million deal with the team in September 2004.

In 414 career games, he has averaged 10.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.15 blocks.