For all the credit that Joe Dumars gets for buliding that team, it seems like he doesn't get the criticizm that he derserves for picking an unproven 19 year old European big man over proven college superstars Melo and Wade.
Ever since their le in '04 Detroit has been feeling the negative effects of that pick a little more each year from '05 onward. No matter what the drafet experts were saying, Darko was still an unproven commodity while Melo and Wade were guaranteed future NBA all-stars at the least. The Pistons were already contenders and Dumars should have taken a player that would help them contend right away.
Hindsight is obviously 20/20, but a GM is paid to have foresight. It's not out of the question that the Darko pick might have caused the Piston's last three playoff defeats since their le.
The pistons drafted Darko in 2003. They picked up Rasheed and made the finals in 2004 and won the le. They also went to the finals again the next year. They were victims of the D-Wade/LeBron marketing force. If D-Wade or Melo went to the pistons, Larry Brown would of done the same thing he did to Darko, let them rot on the bench and make them lose their confidence in their abilities. Pistons> any other team in the east for the last 5 years.
CLOSE THREAD.
LMAO I can't believe they passed up Melo, Wade, Bosh for Darko. LMAO LMAO LMAO LMAO
They picked up a player halfway through their championship season that played the same position as the player they had just chosen with the #2 overall pick. That means they knew right off the bat that they had made a mistake.
And no way does Brown let Wade or Melo rot on the bench. They were ready to contribute immediately. Dark was nowhere near ready. I don't blame Brown at all for keeping Darko on the bench when he was in Detroit. It wasn't just Brown, either; Flip said that he was going to give Darko his big chance, then Darko was gone halfway through the season.
The Pistons maybe > the East the last 5 years, but they could have been >>>>>>>>>>>.
Please be quiet even though you are right. Teal era coming right up.
Noooooo!!!!!!!
Ouch. That's harsh.
Can't change the past
Kiki picked Skita instead of Amare
Nene/Amare combo would be insane
Yeah, Darko might never be able to pan out as a pick no2 supposed to be. But Skita over Amare ? I can certainly feel for Denver fans.
I hope Joe won't allow that to happen. He can not stay put this time though. Changes must be made. Get a defensive coach here. I just can't watch another crappy Pistons defensive team. If CB gets resigned get a legit backup for him. If Sheed, Webber, and Dice stay don't play them a lot until the playoffs. Let Amir and J Max develop. Tayshaun was done this series. He had no legs. Delfino must get more playing time next season.Noooooo!!!!!!!
Joe has to go out and reshape this team. I would prefer a defensive team. Screw run and gun.
Shoulda drafted J-Ho
or Wade, Melo, or Bosh
Altho I don't normally agree with Kerr, he was completely correct when he forecasted the end of an era and some major offseason changes awaiting the Pistons.
By the way... how's that Nazr signing working out for ya'll? You DO realize he's signed until 2011 with an annual 6 mil or so a year?
Billups has a player option for 6.8 mil. The other All Star PGs? Parker makes 10 mil next year. Arenas 11 mil. Kidd makes 19 mil. Nash makes 11 mil. Hinrich makes 11 mil. Joe Johnson makes 13 mil and Jason Williams makes 8 mil. You don't think he's going to look for more cash? I hear the Lakers are about to a brick for a good PG.
McDyess has a player option for 6+ mil as well.
The other player signed until 2011 is Prince, as his stellar choke from this year. He gets 8 to 10 mil a year. Just think, Prince gets paid pretty much the same as Manu.
Don't worry, tho, you get to pay Sheed 26+ mil the next 2 years, and Delfino gets a couple mil next year, too.
I can see Billups demanding a contract worth 90 mil/6 yrs at the minimum. He has been underpaid for quite some time, i don't think he's in charity mood in the upcoming contract negotiation.
I agree. What was Dumars thinking?
By the way... how's that Nazr signing working out for ya'll? You DO realize he's signed until 2011 with an annual 6 mil or so a year?Goddamn...Nazr beats the Pistons when he's on their team!
After reading this thread, I'm sudddenly wondering why Dumars gets as much credit as he gets.
Joe Dumbass is more like it. I guess he is competing with Isiah Thomas on who can be the worst gm.
The Pistons had too much of a good thing -- big men -- and too little money. Choices had to be made.
If 5 straight ECFs, 2 Finals apperances and One championship is battling for the worst GM in league...
Nevermind.
Youre an idiot.
Mike Dunleavey #3 ... ahead of Nene, Amare Stoudemire, Caron Butler
Kwame Brown #1 ... ahead of Pau Gasol, Jason Richardson, Joe Johnson, Richard Jefferson
Jonathan Bender #5 ... ahead of Rip Hamilton, Shawn Marion
Michael Olowokandi #1 ... ahead of Mike Bibby, Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter, Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce
Keith Van Horn #2 ... ahead of Chauncey Billups, Tracy McGrady
Shareef Abdur-Rahim #3 ... ahead of Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Jermaine O'Neal
Joe Smith #1 ... ahead of McDyess, Rasheed Wallace, Kevin Garnett
Shawn Bradley #2 ... ahead of Penny, Jamal Mashburn
You're right. But, it's the draft. Mistakes happen, even high in the lottery. Dumars made a big mistake. Can't do anything about it now. The Pistons don't have Wade or Melo or Bosh. Ok and? They cannot do anything about it now. The topic has been beaten to death. It was a mistake. WE KNOW!
Wow... had a little time to think about that one, have we?
The Darko pick was a huge mistake, but overall Dumars has done far more good than bad. I'd take him as GM of my team any day.
Shoulda drafted J-Ho
or Wade, Melo, or Bosh
or boris diaw
Flip caused Pistons demise
Not to say taking Darko over Melo, Bosh, Wade and Hinrich was the right choice, but back during the draft, it wasn't really too bad an idea.
Pistons were already a very good team then, and can afford to draft a player that had enormous potential. Believe it or not, Darko did. He is 7' tall, can handle the ball, can shoot from outside, can score from inside, and got long arms and timing to block shots and rebound. On potential alone, Darko > Bosh.
The Pistons team was also not built to have one dominant scorer. As you can see with the departure of Stackhouse, and having Rip replace him. The vision was to have a balanced scoring team, besides, Prince already got SF covered; thus Darko > Melo.
Wade was NOWHERE near the radar screen of supers om. He had no shot, and was seen as too small for a SG.
Darko was a calculated risk back then, and it didn't work out.
On the other hand, I doubt Wade would blossom into his current status with the Pistons, and that Melo would get the greenlight everytime down the court.
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