February 15, 2006

Piss(ton)ing away a No. 2 overall pick? : The Detroit Pistons and the Orlando Magic are apparently close to pulling off a deal that would send former No. 2 overall pick Darko Milicic south with Carlos Arroyo for Kelvin Cato and a first-round selection. Does Milicic have a future in the NBA, and is he the biggest draft bust of the new millenium, no matter the league?

read story | posted by wfrazerjr to Basketball at 4:46 PM CDT (48 comments total)

NFL-ryan leaf i heard him on the dan patrick show today. he is the new qb's coach at West Texas A&M

MLB-drew henson or, even though he made it to the big leagues and had some success, darren dreifort

NBA-Sam Bowie- portland passed on jordan, barkley, and john stockton

posted by erkno11 at 5:04 PM CDT on February 15

At least Bowie played in the league for a decade. I'd guess that Darko has another two or three years to prove himself (and only because so much has already been invested in him).

Damn I wish I was 7' so I could sit on a bench in the NBA.

posted by dusted at 5:26 PM CDT on February 15

Big mistake for DET. Milicic is the next Wilt Chamberlain. He is no Leaf or Dreifort. However, I am making a deal with everybody, and note the date. If leaf wins a BCS title in his life as a coach, or Dreifort wins a WS ring with the Dodgers or another team (if L.A. dumps him), I will pipe down about that player.

posted by Joe88 at 5:34 PM CDT on February 15

I wouldn't say Darko is the biggest bust ever... but it was bad. I've got a feeling that he will do a lot better when he is on a team that isn't Spectacular. Detroit simply didn't need him. Orlando needs something, so maybe they will play him a few more minutes than Detroit did.

However, on Orlando's behave, I think that they are just trying to find a back-up for Jameer Nelson, which Arroyo should do. They are likely to move Francis and invest in younger, bigger players. Look for the Magic to get a facelift in the next 8 days.

posted by Snikastyle at 5:54 PM CDT on February 15

Darco is only 20 years old not to mention 7 feet tall! Too early with the bust talk unless you want to state "The biggest bust in Pistons history" (Other than Roddy White)
He will play in the NBA for a long time a la Shawn Bradley. Image what the Stones would have if thay had drafted Wade or Anthony- this year one loss!

posted by directpressure at 6:24 PM CDT on February 15

joe88 - the dodgers declined to offer arbitration to darren dreifort, effectively dumping him. hope he enjoys that $55 mil he got, bc it's the last payday he'll see, as a player anyway.

in addition to the guys mentioned, what if the pistons had bosh, hinrich, david west, boris diaw, or josh howard coming off the bench? probably too high to take any of those guys that high, but trade down, maybe get 2 of them? wowza

posted by ninjavshippo at 6:28 PM CDT on February 15

I think he looks like a bust given the quality of the players selected in the draft after him. A long time ago in another thread I'd had a look at NBA draft busts in response to another thread/article on the topic.

posted by gspm at 6:41 PM CDT on February 15

Milicic is the next Wilt Chamberlain

i hope you mean in terms of his film career.

posted by ninjavshippo at 6:56 PM CDT on February 15

Big mistake for DET. Milicic is the next Wilt Chamberlain.

Wow, joe88, those are some strong words. Darko (aka "The Human Victory Cigar") could be a decent player, but comparing him to Wilt is going a little overboard. Darko (aka "The Human Victory Cigar") has seen limited time in the past couple of seasons, and then when he was given more time this year, he pissed it away being too lazy on the court. Dumars is correct in trading him!

posted by wingnut4life at 7:01 PM CDT on February 15

The only bad move Joe Dumars has made. I still give him an A+.

posted by Bill Lumbergh at 7:43 PM CDT on February 15

Come on the Pistons have a great team they dont need Darko or Carlos it will be a good move for both sides !GO PISTONS!

posted by sirtt22 at 8:35 PM CDT on February 15

the pistons are great, but they've also had an unbelievable streak of good health the last 2+ years. injuries can strike at any time and i think losing any of their starting 5 would effectively end their championship lock (but not hopes). nothing wrong with adding depth and flexibility.

posted by ninjavshippo at 8:37 PM CDT on February 15

looking at what Amare, Howard, and Bosh have done I have to guess that Darko is a bust. Any of those guys would have gotten some pt in Detroit. Darko will stick in the NBA because he's got size, 7 foot and muscular, but he won't be a star.

posted by Mike McD at 8:57 PM CDT on February 15

just imagine the pistons thought it was great to have 4 in the all star game
i could have been
buillips (how ever u spell it
wallace
wallace
hamilton
anthony
instead they haad wasted their money and may just get a guy that is getting paid too much and another chance to get a 1st round pick
darco wont be wilt but he may have a great carrer

posted by Barry-from-H-town at 9:01 PM CDT on February 15

It sure would have been nice if the Pistons had actually tried to bring him along and give him serious playing time before dumping him. He isn't a bust, but as others have pointed out, he just wasn't needed since Detriot already had a great team put together. Having said that I sure wish they'd actually coach him some and give him a REAL chance. He'll never be Wilt (though who is or has been), but he is still 7' of wasted potential right now. Of course that's said as a Pistons fan. If I was his agent I'd do everything to move him to a team that'll give him the chance he deserves to develop into the kind of good player he can be.

posted by commander cody at 9:27 PM CDT on February 15

Barry-from-H-town, funny you should bring up 'Melo. There was an article in the Detroit News discussing that very thought. A reporter interviewed John Salley and asked him if he thought Detroit should have picked up Carmelo Anthony.

(Excerpt from Detroit News Article ran 2/7/06)
Asked how today's team would stack up against The Bad Boys:

Q . Yeah, but then the Pistons could bring in Darko Milicic off the bench to put the fear of God in you …

A . Right. Yeah. That would have worked real well. First thing I would ask Darko when he got on the floor with me would be, "How do you swear in your language? Because you're going to be doing a lot of it, and I want to know what you're saying." He would have had a real bad night.

People rip on Joe for taking Darko in the draft. But I totally see why now he didn't take Carmelo (Anthony). That would have changed the chemistry.

posted by wingnut4life at 9:31 PM CDT on February 15

I know several Lakers fans out here in LaLa Land that would love to try him out. Maybe playing with Kobe for a season or two he'd learned to say ball hogging asshole in perfect english.

posted by commander cody at 9:53 PM CDT on February 15

Hey, Cody, have a few more beers and state the sentence correctly: "Maybe if he had played with Kobe for a few seasons, he'd have learned to say ball hogging asshole in perfect English, and he would have been part of 3 straight championships."

posted by joecab at 10:22 PM CDT on February 15

and there have been how many since Kobe drove Shaq out of town? and they're....um...how close to making the playoffs this year.......without shaq?

posted by commander cody at 10:27 PM CDT on February 15

and how does your post have anything to do with this thread? just another hater w/ too much time on his hands and not enough porn to keep them busy?

posted by ninjavshippo at 10:37 PM CDT on February 15

so calling Kobe "a ball hogging asshole" follows the thread?...you can't take away the success, you can only hate him for having achieved it...It looks like Boston isn't the only place where the green monster resides

posted by joecab at 10:42 PM CDT on February 15

Hey I was following the thread by saying maybe he should have gone to the loser....er....I mean Lakers. You were the ones who took offense. Besides I'm a Pistons fan and have nothing to hate...or envy... the Lakers for.

posted by commander cody at 10:45 PM CDT on February 15

okay, back on the thread...how about Kwame Brown? #1 overall..that bum is doing nothing but taking up valuable salary room. Another name...Ray LeFrentz...3rd overall pick...talk about a player not worth the money or draft position.

posted by joecab at 11:07 PM CDT on February 15

Kobe fans...er, I mean, Laker fans, are a little touchy, aren't they?

posted by The_Black_Hand at 5:00 AM CDT on February 16

and they're....um...how close to making the playoffs this year.......without shaq?

they do have the 8th seed right now so that would be...um...in the playoffs....i am not a lakers fan but you have to give kobe his props...with a garbage team he has done all one player can do...and do you think the lakers would be better if they had they same players they do now but they had shaq instead of kobe...i don't think they could get the 8th seed even

and how many titles did shaq ever win by himself...a big fat donut....which i'm sure shaq will have no problem eating a couple boxes of when he gets on the force and grows his cop stasche

posted by kellermcgee21 at 6:25 AM CDT on February 16

oh yea this thread is about darko...its too bad larry brown was the coach at the time of the draft or the pistons would have melo at SF instead of prince...but brown seems to have a dislike of rookies and giving them playing time so he figured he'd draft someone with no chance of playing

darko is a wild card...he is definatly not a number 2 pick and these expectations will always follow him around much like kwame brown.... if he can get on a team like the magic and get a chance to play who knows if he'll develop but riding the pine in detroit is doing him no good

posted by kellermcgee21 at 6:39 AM CDT on February 16

Wow, joe88, those are some strong words.

Pretty much his MO. This one finally drove me to start keeping track on my user page.

posted by yerfatma at 8:13 AM CDT on February 16

Ive seen Darko really play, and if he gets on a team where he is needed, I see this thread disappearing very quickly.

posted by jonfu at 8:13 AM CDT on February 16

yerfatma: I'm guessing you'll fill out that predictions page rather quickly around here.

posted by tron7 at 8:31 AM CDT on February 16

You guys are so impatient. This is only Darko's 3rd season, and you want to call him the biggest bust ever?? Darko isn't even the biggest bust in Pistons history. William Bedford? Fennis Dembo? Miki Moore?

posted by MeatSaber at 9:06 AM CDT on February 16

I think this one comes back to haunt Dumars - inasmuch as it can haunt a guy who's team doesn't lose. I just feel that Project Darko was maybe one season from lift-off and any 7-footer that can move like that kid and has hands like that kid can be a bonafide NBA contributor. He sure has more tools that Kelvin Cato. Yeah, he may still bust out, and yes, he may get buried on another bench for another three years (The Michael Stewart "They pay me $25 million to watch this game in my prime" award) but there is no doubt that this is now the equivalent of Dumars drafting a 30-year old Kelvin Cato between 4 of the best young players in the NBA.

Plainly, though, Detroit never needed any of those guys. There's only one freaking ball and damn if the Pistons don't know what to do with it. If we wer doing a draft do-over how would you play it? Take Dwayne Wade, what's Chauncey going to do? Take Bosh and Rasheed sits. Taking Anthony made the most sense - since Tayshaun is probably the guy that could be replaced most. But really, this team hasn't made a bad step on the court in four years.

That Magic first rounder will probably be in a good spot, though.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 9:24 AM CDT on February 16

Joe D is the best GM in the NBA.He took a bunch of castoffs & look what he has now .Gotta trust his instincts.As far as Carmelo goes who needs him when you have the "Prince of the Palace".

posted by Ricky G at 9:29 AM CDT on February 16

Taking Anthony made the most sense - since Tayshaun is probably the guy that could be replaced most.

I've had this argument with friends over the last 2-3 years, and I usually shut them up like this:

Say the Pistons took Carmelo Anthony instead of Darko. Great pick - except you lose a championship. You see, the defining moment in the Pistons championship run in 2004 was Tayshaun's block on Reggie Miller, which undoubtedly saved and won that series for them. But, with 'Melo on the team, chances are Larry Brown had his offense on the court instead. And we all know how great a defender 'Melo is...

posted by MeatSaber at 10:04 AM CDT on February 16

Yes, I recall that fantastic block. One of the best playoff highlights of the last decade. However, it still makes the most sense to draft Anthony in lieu of the others available. His game is the best fit, and yes the Pistons would sacrifice some D when he's on the floor, but they'd get only their second player who can create his own shot. And they'd be hella deeper too (could you imagine that second unit now? Darko never played! It's all gravy!) And who's saying Melo is on the court with the Pistons up in that situation? I'm reasonably sure Brown would go with Prince in the scenario described. God knows you would and I sure would.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 11:03 AM CDT on February 16

A couple of closing thoughts:
Darco was a project when they picked him, everyone knew that. (He was 17 years old @ the time)
The Pistons had the pick they took Darco with from a trade they had made 3 or 4 years before. It sounds like the deal has happened & the Pistons get a future 1st round pick & free up some cap space to resign some guys this summer. Joe Dumars is the Master of NBA GM’s Go Pistons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

posted by directpressure at 11:05 AM CDT on February 16

I'm guessing you'll fill out that predictions page rather quickly around here.

Good guess. Get your crackpot theories in fast. Space is filling up.

posted by yerfatma at 11:49 AM CDT on February 16

Big mistake for DET. Milicic is the next Wilt Chamberlain.
Just what exaclty are you smoking?
Darco Milicic = shawn bradley...not wilt chamberlin!!!!

posted by Grrrlacher at 12:14 PM CDT on February 16

Kobe fans...er, I mean, Laker fans, are a little touchy, aren't they?

posted by The_Black_Hand at 5:00 AM CST on February 16

They are indeed. I live here in L.A. and if you make them angry they send Jack Nicholson over to your house to try to hit you with his walker or cane. Scary.

Anyway, I 2nd the opinion that this will come back to haunt Detriot. I think they let him go too soon and without giving him the right chance. To Joey D. I'd say to him what one on my ex-wives said to me when I asked for a divorce...."You'll be sorry!!"

posted by commander cody at 12:52 PM CDT on February 16

Its amazing the thread starts out one way then turns into kobe bashing. You pathetic haters.

posted by Drallig9399 at 1:22 PM CDT on February 16

Kobe fans...er, I mean, Laker fans, are a little touchy, aren't they?
They are indeed. I live here in L.A. and if you make them angry they send Jack Nicholson over to your house to try to hit you with his walker or cane. Scary.

are you kidding? most of us are already armed and looking for giants fans to shoot. kobe haters are just target practice.

posted by ninjavshippo at 1:29 PM CDT on February 16

are you kidding? most of us are already armed and looking for giants fans to shoot. kobe haters are just target practice.

LOL!

posted by commander cody at 1:48 PM CDT on February 16

Its amazing the thread starts out one way then turns into kobe bashing. You pathetic haters.

Can't help it. It's just soooooooo easy! Besides I was staying on the subject when I said Joey D. will be sorry he let Darko go. And he will.

posted by commander cody at 1:50 PM CDT on February 16

C'mon, yerfatma, where's the infamous "no one needs a pinch runner" quote?

... okay, I just checked, and it turns out that you said that. So, okay.

posted by DrJohnEvans at 4:02 PM CDT on February 16

Update: It's now official. Mitch Albom has a very good piece on it.

posted by Ufez Jones at 4:41 PM CDT on February 16

Yeah DJE, that one's getting it's own section, once I run it down again. I had to take a breather after following all the contradictory logic around. After compiling that partial list, I'm playing a game of "Troll, Yutz or Psychopath", the home game. I cannot decide.

posted by yerfatma at 5:50 PM CDT on February 16

It's a variation on George Carlin's "Asshole, Jerk-off or Scumbag".

posted by yerfatma at 5:51 PM CDT on February 16

well darko better prove himself if the coach let him play more minutes than he had in detriot.

to the rest of u clowns since when this shit become the lakers blog.
its about darko, not kobe or shaq
laker haters get a fucking grip and im not a laker fan

posted by defrag3x at 6:14 PM CDT on February 16

well darko better prove himself if the coach let him play more minutes than he had in detriot.

I think a lot of people, esp Joey D., are going to be surprised once Darko starts getting some serious minutes. Of course I could be wrong (I have gotten married 3x), but I think he's going to have a very good (though not great) career.

posted by commander cody at 7:13 PM CDT on February 16

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