Bad draft decisions

[Valuist]

Taking this guy ahead of Carmelo Anthony and Dwayne Wade has to be one of the worst decisions in recent times:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AodsO1W0XOUBl1IcmjNg2SA5nYcB?slug=ap-pistons-magictrade&prov=ap&type=lgns

[GameTheory]

I don't think you can say that until he gets playing time in Orlando and is still a bust. If it turns out he can play, and I think it will, then it just means he didn't get his chance in Detroit, not that Detroit was wrong about him.

When Detroit drafted him, they had no idea they were going to be able to get Rasheed Wallace (and if they had drafted someone else it is likely they wouldn't have had the pieces to trade for Wallace). At the time, they were looking at a future with Ben Wallace, Mehmet Okur, and Darko. Things changed, and Darko got stuck behind a bunch of great veteran players he wasn't going to take minutes from. Now he sulked and didn't give full effort in his limited minutes to be sure, but he's STILL only 20 and could easily blossom into one of the best bigs in the league. He is already a great passer, shot-blocker, and face to the basket shooter. I think he just needs game-time, and hasn't gotten it...

[Wiley]

Game Theory I pretty much agree with you, except on Darko's potential. Darko could not crack the line-up on the best starting five in the NBA, Anthony or Wade would be playing backups on the same squad - though Wade definitely would have fit into the Pistons team better than the no D Anthony. Darko to me after watching him play scrub minutes does not have the desire to be a big time player, the guy has got a ton of raw talent but he is clueless on the court. Maybe a change in venue will do the trick but I doubt it so I guess to answer Valuist as an individual player he will turn out to be a pretty big bust. But for the Pistons wait and see who they get with their first round Magic pick in '07 or '08.

When the Pistons drafted Darko they were already good so it was worth the risk to take a chance on the guy. Another thing to always consider is salary cap and there is no way the Pistons keep their core team as is if they had drafted Anthony or Wade because those guys are up for big buck contracts and the Pistons need to resign B. Wallace and Billups for next year as they become unrestricted free agents.

[Valuist]

As good as the Pistons are, there's no team in the NBA that Wade couldn't start on.

[Wiley]

The more I think about it I think you are right on Wade he is a tough all around ball player and I do like his game. I have never liked Anthony and the comparisons are usually to him, in fact he made a point of calling out the Pistons that they'll be sorry for not drafting him, funny thing every game the Pistons-Nuggets play Prince out plays Anthony and the Pistons crush Denver. Wade would probably start or be a great sixth man over Prince if they went small. IMHO Wade would not start over Hamilton or Billups.

[mainardi]

PREFACE: I'm a big Pistons fan... and my 15-y-o daughter was crushed when she heard the news. After explaining the salary cap, she's okay with shipping out Darko... but still not too happy about Arroyo being included. :(

Now, consider that ANYBODY would be willing to trade for Darko points to the fact that he has talent... but he felt entitled to the starting spot WITHOUT working for it, and thus finds himself in Orlando. He knew nothing about Larry Brown's dislike of [a] playing rookies and [b] kids that didn't go to college at all (ask LeBron about that one!)... so Darko was left to pout.

Joe D originally figured that Darko would be a starter within a few years -- remember that there was NO Rasheed OR McDyess on the roster -- and that Carmelo was the only other choice at the time (all of you revisionists have to remember that LBJ, Darko and 'Melo were the "big three" and that Bosh and Wade were NEVER EVER in the conversation on draft day... and NO, the unproven Wade was NOT going to bump Rip from the starting lineup) and he already had a "good player, good citizen" (VERY important to the organization) in Tayshaun Prince. So Joe D did what looked like the smart move at the time. Give him credit for cutting his losses and pulling the plug while he could get SOMETHING for him.

The smart money says that even if Darko's disposition improves, Detroit got what they wanted: the cap space they needed for Ben AND Chauncey... plus they get what will probably be a pretty good pick... and don't forget that he got Darko with the old Vancouver-Memphis pick.

If you want to call it a bad draft day decision, go ahead... but it's the same decision that ANY team in need of a forward-center would have made.

[GameTheory]

The only thing I'm worried is Hunter going down, then we're left with who -- Acker? (Although Delfino would be interesting.) I expect Cato to be moved for a PG.

The other thing is that if Darko flourishes, he'll be down there in Orlando with Dwight Howard. Joe D may have just made the Magic a very good team...

[chickenhead]

As bad and timid as Darko had always looked its easy to say that, but does anyone besides me remember Jermaine Oneal at first when he was with Portland? He was the same if not worse, looked like a scared little boy. Now look at him. You just never know.

[GameTheory]

Rasheed schooled O'Neal for those years in Portland, and just yesterday Sheed said that Darko can play and will have the last laugh. I doubt he would say that just to say it...

[Wiley]

Rasheed schooled O'Neal for those years in Portland, and just yesterday Sheed said that Darko can play and will have the last laugh. I doubt he would say that just to say it...
On the same day, Billups said Darko could play but 'when he was on the floor he just looked like he did not care'.
How do you get a guy to care? The Pistons got him in the line-up in preseason and he responded for awhile before falling into his normal disappearance act on the court. I just don't see the desire in this guy to make an impact, he'll get his minutes in Orlando and maybe Howard's energy will motivate Darko but for how long? I agree with Billups and 'Sheed that Darko has skills and that's what is so frustrating when a guy does not take advantage of them. There is a long line of pro or should have been pro players over the years that fall into that category.

[GameTheory]

The effort has been lacking, no doubt. I think he's real immature mentally -- he's just 20 now, was the youngest NBA draftee ever coming from Serbia with no money and now he's got millions for doing nothing. He definitely wants to play, and I think he felt he never would play in Detroit no matter how hard he tried because of the players in front of him. Although the word is his practice and workout habits were very good, he seemed to feel as if the limited minutes he did get were just "token" minutes -- he didn't really feel part of the team. I think you'll see good effort when he goes to Orlando and gets minutes and is actually part of the team. (They'll run plays for him and everything.) The question is, next time a tough challenge confronts him, is he going to fold?

[Valuist]

I don't care if he becomes a star SOMEDAY. When you are the second pick in the draft, you are not only expected to start right away but become a major player. He hasn't done that.

[mainardi]

He got all of one game into his Magic career, and Hill benched him!!! :lol:

One report had him singing the same off-key song about wanting the minutes given to him... and he apparently has already started moping. The Magic will try to get him to be something, but my money has him taking his NBA riches and going back to some mid-level European league.

One writer had a great line, that went something like this: "For all of his time in Detroit, Darko did learn one thing... he thinks he's entitled to his minutes."

[GameTheory]

My guess is that was a trade deadline thing -- they gave a bunch of minutes that game to other guys that hardly ever play that much. Probably a showcase to help them do a deal. Darko was stupid to whine about it, though...

[mainardi]

With a team like Orlando, he has a chance to get 10-15 points and 6-10 rebounds a game, along with a few assists/blocks/steals. Of course, all of that depends on what he does to earn the PT... I see where he got 20+ minutes in his last game.

On the other side of the coin, the Pistons only have 20 or so games to figure out who's going to chew up Chauncey's extra minutes. As much as I like Hunter, he can't carry the load like Arroyo did. My guess is that Prince, Delfino and Hunter split the time, and Chauncey's minutes will depend on how well they keep things together.

Arroyo will probably secure the starting job next year, after he gets used to the system.

[GameTheory]

Word is Joe is going to pick up Tony Delk. The Hawks waived him...

[chickenhead]

Had a chance to watch Orlando last night, Darko looked very good. This was against the Warriors, it is easy to look good against them, but he showed off some nice offense -- taking it to the hoop, good court awareness, good rebounding. His defense is atrocious, but that's par for the course. If Orlando keeps both of them they could be tough in a few years.