Darko to Orlando?

[abailey3313]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2331049

I couldn't really care less about the NBA, but man, what was the point in Detroit drafting this guy a few years ago?

[QuestGAV]

Originally Posted by abailey3313

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2331049

I couldn't really care less about the NBA, but man, what was the point in Detroit drafting this guy a few years ago?

They thought he wouldn't suck. So far, he's done nothing to justify their faith in him. If he had been a monster in practice time and exhibition games he'd be out there challenging the Wallaces for minutes. It says volumes to me that they'd rather give that time to Kelvin Cato than even attempt to develop him... or even just develop his trade value.

[Delgadodawg]

Even if Darko had started to play well this season, they would have had to trade him or be forced to break up the best starting 5 in the NBA.

[jaxmagicman]

Please let this happen.

[Sublimity]

Originally Posted by jaxmagicman

Please let this happen.

I'm not the one standing in its way. You don't need to ask me.

[Astros33Resurrected]

Originally Posted by jaxmagicman

Please let this happen.

maybe he can shine down there.

[darkhorse]

Originally Posted by Delgadodawg

Even if Darko had started to play well this season, they would have had to trade him or be forced to break up the best starting 5 in the NBA.

Why? Great teams usually have a couple of good players on the bench.

[Astros33Resurrected]

I think he will do much better somewhere else where there isn't as much pressure. Also, I'm sure the criticism they get for not taking Melo really hurts his confidence.

[darkhorse]

Originally Posted by Astros33Resurrected

I think he will do much better somewhere else where there isn't as much pressure. Also, I'm sure the criticism they get for not taking Melo really hurts his confidence.

Going into that draft, many scouts/insiders thought Darko was a better player than LeBron, but that Cleveland would be compelled to draft LeBron because of the revenue his signing would generate. Carmelo seemed to be a distinct third at that point in the game.

.

[Astros33Resurrected]

how much does cato make? isnt it alot?

[Delgadodawg]

Originally Posted by darkhorse

Why? Great teams usually have a couple of good players on the bench.

Financial reasons. They probably wouldn't be able to afford to sign Wallace and renegotiate Billups' contract. (If you go by what ESPN says)

"Barring the collapse of a deal that would bring Kelvin Cato's expiring contract and a 2006 lottery pick to Detroit, sending Milicic to Orlando will create the salary-cap space that allows the Pistons to re-sign Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups without a blink. It'll also give the Pistons another lottery pick to probe for a better selection than Darko proved."

"When Detroit does re-sign Big Ben and Chauncey, it'll have taken the bold (and expensive) step of committing an average salary of at least $10 million to five players. That's why Milicic -- like Mehmet Okur before him -- was always likely to be moved in the summer at the latest if something didn't materialize at the deadline. Even if he had cracked Flip Saunders' rotation, which sadly didn't come close to happening, Detroit couldn't afford to sign Milicic to a contract extension given the tab for the five starters."

[Jeremy Weimer]

It's a good deal for both teams. They're each getting something they want and it should help both in the long run. I don't think Darko will ever pan out, but at least he's still young and has time to develop or at least do something else with his life before it's too late.

[rudel.dietrich]

I do not profess to know much about Basketball
But I think he has a stigma stemming from the belief that Larry Brown is a genius and knows everything. Brown hated him from day one and was not afraid to let that be known.
He may very well suck, but he has played under 100 minutes since being drafted. Brown had it out for him from the time he became coach.
No young player can suceed in that kind of enviroment.

He was an excellent player in Europe (the same Europe that whipped the hell out of the US in international play)
There is no reason to think he will not make something of a usefull NBA player
It is just going to take a different enviroment for the stigma of the Brown era to be erased.

[darkhorse]

Originally Posted by Fallschirmjager

Brown had it out for him from the time he became coach. No young player can suceed in that kind of enviroment.

I wonder if the current Pistons coach, the one who might actually trade him, gives a flip about Darko.

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by darkhorse

I wonder if the current Pistons coach, the one who might actually trade him, gives a flip about Darko.

He is pretty much a rookie with years of rust on him

I am by no means saying Darko would have been an AS player. But Brown did irreperable damge to Darkos career by basicly ignoring him.
Darko will never be able to make up that lost time and is now behind the curve.
On a certain level that should piss off anyone. If you are not planning to use a young player. Trade him
Brown not playing him bordered on vengence for vengence sake. Not trying to help the team

[Sublimity]

Originally Posted by Fallschirmjager

I do not profess to know much about Basketball
But I think he has a stigma stemming from the belief that Larry Brown is a genius and knows everything. Brown hated him from day one and was not afraid to let that be known.
He may very well suck, but he has played under 100 minutes since being drafted. Brown had it out for him from the time he became coach.
No young player can suceed in that kind of enviroment.

He was an excellent player in Europe (the same Europe that whipped the hell out of the US in international play)
There is no reason to think he will not make something of a usefull NBA player
It is just going to take a different enviroment for the stigma of the Brown era to be erased.

I'll agree with you on some points, disagree on others.

Brown rarely plays rookies much. That's been well publicized. Yeah, it probably hurt Darko's career and the perception of his abilities. But I would think that at this point he would have shown his value to the new staff and would get more time if he had the skills. I'm not sure how much of that is due to Brown or not.

As for the Europe vs. US thing in the Olympics, it really is a different game. I don't know enough about basketball to show how well it translates. If the teams played each other with US rules and court regulations, who knows what would happen? Not to say the Europeans are inferior, just that I don't know how much to take out of the Olympics showing. Plus, all the stuff about continuity of the teams and whatnot.

[blgoblue2]

Please do not let this happen.

[QuestGAV]

Originally Posted by Delgadodawg

Financial reasons. They probably wouldn't be able to afford to sign Wallace and renegotiate Billups' contract. (If you go by what ESPN says)

"Barring the collapse of a deal that would bring Kelvin Cato's expiring contract and a 2006 lottery pick to Detroit, sending Milicic to Orlando will create the salary-cap space that allows the Pistons to re-sign Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups without a blink. It'll also give the Pistons another lottery pick to probe for a better selection than Darko proved."

"When Detroit does re-sign Big Ben and Chauncey, it'll have taken the bold (and expensive) step of committing an average salary of at least $10 million to five players. That's why Milicic -- like Mehmet Okur before him -- was always likely to be moved in the summer at the latest if something didn't materialize at the deadline. Even if he had cracked Flip Saunders' rotation, which sadly didn't come close to happening, Detroit couldn't afford to sign Milicic to a contract extension given the tab for the five starters."

And nonsense like this is why no one with a brain should be reading anything on ESPN.com. As guys who have been under contract to the Pistons for awhile resigning them will have ZERO impact on the team's salary cap unless they are under it and even then having/resigning Milicic would not impact resigning them, only their ability to sign free agents. It may affect their luxury tax situation but that's entirely different and anyone writing an article on the NBA for the world's largest sports site should be shot by Dick Cheney if they can't comprehend the difference.

[mcgsports]

This trade makes Francis Traded to the Knicks! Next Year it would be Howard/Vasquez at Power Foward next year! Darko at C! Carlos at PG! Nelson or Robinson at SG! H.T. or Robinson at Small Forward!