Pistons close to deal that would end Darko experiment
By Marc Stein
ESPN.com
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2331049
Two things it now appears that these Detroit Pistons won't do: Win 70 games or continue the Darko Milicic experiment.
NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com on Tuesday night that the Pistons and Orlando Magic were close to completing a long-discussed trade that would relocate Milicic, 2003's No. 2 overall pick, to central Florida. The trade could be completed as early as Wednesday, sources said, with only one potential snag.
The sides, according to sources, are bartering over the extent of lottery protection Orlando would have on the first-round pick it has agreed to send Detroit along with center Kelvin Cato for Milicic and guard Carlos Arroyo.
It's thought Orlando is seeking to retain this year's first-round pick -- and convey its 2007 first-rounder to Detroit instead -- if the Magic's pick winds up in the top seven of the June draft. The deal would collapse if the sides can't come to a resolution -- with Detroit looking to reduce Orlando's level of protection by a few spots -- but it's clear the Pistons have made the decision to move Milicic before the Feb. 23 trading deadline after giving him a chance to earn a rotation spot under new coach Flip Saunders.
Milicic hasn't played much more for Saunders than he did for Larry Brown, unleashing a new wave of second-guesses on Detroit's decision to draft the Serbian 7-footer over Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade ... even though the Pistons won the championship in Darko's rookie season and came within one game of a repeat le last season.
Yet, even if Milicic had established himself as a rotation regular under Saunders, it's doubtful the Pistons could have afforded to retain him beyond this summer. With Ben Wallace bound for free agency in July and Chauncey Billups expected to seek a lucrative contract extension before becoming a free agent in the summer of 2007, Detroit needs Cato's expiring contract ($8.6 million this season) to create the salary-cap space to re-sign both comfortably and keep together its vaunted starting lineup.
After Wallace and Billups re-sign, all five Pistons starters will possess contracts averaging at least $10 million per season -- an NBA rarity but a necessity for Pistons president Joe Dumars given the success and relative youth (Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace are both 31) of the group.
While Orlando continues to explore its Steve Francis trade options, this move would give Milicic a chance to play immediately alongside franchise forward Dwight Howard. It might also eventually give the Magic two highly touted but unproven European big men for its frontcourt rotation, with the Magic still hopeful they will have 2005 first-round pick Fran Vazquez (who controversially elected to play in Spain this season) in the near future
some of us spurs fans had the same feeling last year too. i know how you feel.
Hopefully no one wants to trade for him.
I'd prefer Detroit to keep the incredibly useless Darko rather than pick up another servicable player.
Imagine if Det was smart and drafted Wade, Carmelo or Bosh. Here is a case where the fans were smarter than the Det. management. Most fans wanted Anthony over Darko Milicic.
Ben is 31. Darko is young but unproven in the middle, thanks to Brown & Flip, then there's Steve Francis who said he wants OUT of Orlando.While Orlando continues to explore its Steve Francis trade options, this move would give Milicic a chance to play immediately alongside franchise forward Dwight Howard.
But i like the idea of big men Howard and Darko as starters. Who knows?
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*The Magic do not like any of the trade offers they've received for Steve Francis, although there are rumblings that the three-way New York, Denver and Orlando deal has been revived. The club expects the deals to improve substantially the closer they get to the Feb. 23 deadline. -- Orlando Sentinel
George Karl downplayed Denver's need to make a trade by the Feb. 23 deadline, saying, 'I think we're having a very good year.' Orlando guard Steve Francis has been mentioned as a target for the Nuggets. -- Rocky Mountain News
Steve Francis said Monday that he likely won't be able to turn around his lackluster play until the Magic trades him or not.
If that's the case, the slumping preoccupied point guard and the 19-31 Magic -- clinging to playoff hopes -- have four more games to play until the Feb. 23 trade deadline. -- Orlando Sentinel
Some did want Carmello...but I definetly wouldn't say it was "most fans".
As for Wade....no one would have taken him that high. He's suprised alot of people.
Bosh may haver been a possibility....but not very likely.
Many GM's/teams said they too would have taken Darko...I even recall some people saying that they would possibly take Darko w/ the #1 pick.
I do not blame the management for taking him. I may blame them for getting rid of him........
I definetly do not want to see him go. I beleive in 2 or 3 years he will be a very solid player. But I am partly happy for him if he does go. At least he will get a chance to play and improve.
take alook @ 2003 nba pre draft almost everyone has darko projected #2 after Lebron.
Then they srewed up. The fans were right on this one.
Most fans wanted Anthony over Darko.
Carmelo was a proven college scoring star to the fans. Darko was an unknown, young foreign white center. No way he had the upside that Carmelo had.
He was more likely to fail then Carmelo.
Its another case where the gm's over rate a player because of size.
I can't believe the Pistons are giving up on him. After all the talk about how he was as good as LeBron but just didn't get enough playing time, they trade him for Cato? Pretty damn funny.
Cato is pretty good at guarding Shaq and the Pistons get rid of Arroyo and his contract. So it's not all bad for the Pistons. But I remember a time Darko was supposed to be the white David Robinson.
pistons could sign Jay Williams, He was spotted at Dumars Field House over the weekend. Joe has said that if he trades arroyo he's gonna get a back up PG. maybe he can get a steal just like dice. I'm guessing he's gonna try him out and stuff over the break. Or signa 10 day contract/
Darko, from what I read anyway, has a somewhat questionable work ethic.
But I understand that he's a very skilled player. Maybe he'll do better on a team that gives him the on-court time to improve.
I'd say the jury is still out on what caliber of NBA player he's capable of being. But he would never of reached his potential on the Pistons, so getting him out is probably good for both parties.
Cato? I guess he's another big man for the stable. I don't see him seeing much more court time than Darko.
Cato will be cut/waived....from what we're hearing at least.
Rumor says we may bring back Eldenn Campbell..................who knows.
I don't think a guy who doesn't have feeling in one of his legs is going to make too much of a difference in a championship run.
Who is going to be the backup point guard? Hunter or perhaps Acker?
What happens to Fran Vasquez then?
Great question. I hope Dumars has an answer.
I know this will help us financially, but I think this deal sucks. No way Hunter can be our backup. And while I like what little I've seen of Acker, I have to believe he is far away from truly helping us.
The Sonics are looking to deal Flip Murray (if they pick up another PG). He sucks, but he might be a better backup than Hunter/Acker.
I've heard the Pistons may get the rights to him.
This a bad deal by the Pistons IMO.
This will hurt them for this year too.
Billups can't play every minute of the game, and when he goes out, who will they have??
Im sure Dumars has a trade for like, Jason Kidd to be the backup on the phone.
If this is a cost cutting deal, for Ben Wallace, strange.
I guess I could partially be HOPING it hurts the pistons (sorry pistons fans, its just bidness) but I think this shortens the bench.
BTW,
if the Pistons cut Cato, whos up for signing him? Rebounds decent, plugs the lane.
Eh eh???
For some reason I doubt we'll waive him. This is a 2-for-1 anyways, so we'll still have an open roster spot. There is no point in just getting rid of him. If anything he's a fat guy that can stick to Shaq. All of our bigs are a bit too lean.
I didn't know their bench can get any shorter. Looks like they will have a 6 man rotation for the playoffs.
Based on how he looked tonight, Hunter will still be as good a one-on-one defender as we have (once he's in game shape), and although his offense is lacking, it's no worse than Arroyo's. Plus, there should no longer be any doubt that Delfino can fill in for Tayshaun just fine, thankyouverymuch, and that frees up Tay for spot minutes at the 1 if needed.Great question. I hope Dumars has an answer.
I know this will help us financially, but I think this deal sucks. No way Hunter can be our backup. And while I like what little I've seen of Acker, I have to believe he is far away from truly helping us.
I still don't like the deal, but it's starting to look more likely. The spin on the wasted pick has already been written, with McCosky's "Dumars has never feared failure" article: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...602140396/1127
Carlos Delfino.
There, I warned you in advance.
Yo, man. This is a photoshop pic by a Spurs Fan. Your version doesn't make sense.
Why does Rasheed have that look on his face if the Spurs aren't gaining on him?
'cause he just got whistled for looking at Ginobili in the rearview, and is now about to earn himself a T.
Why does Rasheed have that look on his face if the Spurs aren't gaining on him?
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