Darko

It's incredible that he hasn't gotten ANY playing time..he's the freakin' second pick!

 

and we thought VG didnt like playing roookies...

 

not only that he is 7 feet tall and said to be aggresive as hell compared to other Europeans and likes to dunk on people and attack the basket and shoot 3's. At least you would give him some time to play and see if he has any types of skills and not just sit him at the end of their bench.

Last year was one thing when they had Okur and other players ahead of him, but this year they are not on the same level and they should have given him some minutes.

 

He's a cool guy to. I saw this interview with him, and they asked how he managed to play such tough defense when he didn't look like a big strong guy. He said the coolest thing: "Me strong inside".

 

http://www.detnews.com/2005/pistons/0501/19/E05-64310.htm

Milicic complains about playing time

The second-year forward says he likes Detroit, but sitting on bench is frustrating.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Say this for Darko Milicic, his timing couldn't have been much worse.

With the Pistons riding a six-game winning streak, the second-year center decided to voice his frustration and displeasure, and he isn't getting a whole lot of sympathy from Coach Larry Brown or President Joe Dumars.

"I have talked to Joe," Milicic said before the Pistons lost to the Magic, 103-101, Tuesday. "We talked about finding a solution for me, because to not play the whole year, it's very tough for my mind."

Milicic said he has not requested a trade. Dumars talked to Marc Cornstein, Milicic's agent, on Tuesday and Cornstein said in no way were they asking for a trade.

But Milicic added: "We have to find a solution in the next couple of days."

Or what, he was asked.

"I don't know, we'll see," he said. "Joe will do what he can do. I wish I can stay here. I hope the solution is that I stay here. I love it here. I love the team and I love the people in Detroit. But not playing is really tough for me."

Dumars said that he has not been looking to trade Milicic.

"We have gotten calls from teams," Dumars said. "They say, 'If you get to the point where you want to do something, we can put together a package.' End of discussion. I say thanks and it's over. I have never discussed any deal for him."

Dumars and Brown both reiterated the main reasons why Milicic, the second overall pick of the 2003 draft, hasn't played. They are Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess and Elden Campbell.

"I would be concerned if Elden said he was unhappy," Brown said. "Darko is 19. When he earns the right to play, and he proves he's better than those guys, he will play."

Certainly Milicic's play of late hasn't encouraged Brown to give him more minutes. In his last 21 minutes of action, he has had more turnovers (3) and airballs (3) than baskets (1). He has mostly appeared disinterested on the court. He did not play Tuesday night.

"I understand where he's coming from," Brown said. "If you are a lottery pick, you generally go to a team that needs you. And if you are a top three pick, they are usually building their team around you.

"But what's disappointing to me, saying you want to play is one thing, going out and earning the right is more important - and he hasn't figured that out."

Milicic doesn't think he's gotten a chance.

"Everybody has got a chance to play, even the rookies who just came this year," Milicic said. "I didn't get a chance. I was playing and everybody said great job, great job - then I don't play."

The reason for that was the return of Antonio McDyess from an injury.

"Darko is the most fortunate and unfortunate young guy that was drafted last year," Dumars said. "He's fortunate because he's the only one who has a championship ring. He's unfortunate because he's playing behind some really, really good players."

As Milicic is aware, those three players are going to be here for several more seasons. Which begs the question, when will Milicic get to play?

"He determines that," Dumars said, pointedly. "I won't, his agent won't, even the coaches won't. He will dictate that. I won't waiver on this - you've got to earn it. That won't change.

"Darko has to take some bad medicine right now. It doesn't taste good, but it's good for you in the long run."

The solution Milicic is searching for is simple - he needs to stop pouting and start playing, whether it's in practice or in the final minute of a game.

"Look, I am not dumb," Brown said. "I want him to play. I would love for him to play. But I am also going to be fair and make sure he earns the right. Otherwise we'd lose all credibility in that locker room and that's something that's never going to happen."

 

Sounds a lot like Jermaine O'neal.

You really can't blame Detroit, they are just trying to win, and you can't blame Darko either.

If this is not a RINGING example of why the NBA needs a true minor league, I don't know what is...

DD

 

This is the reason why I think star players usually rise from the ashes of a burned-down team. It's the phenomenon of the phoenix. Yao doesn't nearly have it bad as Darko because the Pistons have better talent and more expectations than the Rockets. Noone expects championships out of the Rockets. The Pistons had won 50 games for 2 consecutive seasons under Carlisle right before Darko was drafted. The pressure to win was much larger there. I don't even know if Yao would play over Rasheed and Elden if Yao screwed up like he does at times.

It's my contention that guys like Yao and Darko would progress at a much faster pace on garbage teams with low expectations and low pressure.

 

Looks like out version of Boki complaining about PT to JVG and CD.

 

I never said Darko should play with Yao. I said guys like Darko and Yao would progress much faster with a team that is not pressured to win. They could develop in a low pressure environment on garbage teams. Darko in particular gets no playing time even though the guy supposedly has skills.

 

darko is young, and is suppose to be a really good player. anyways, i would like to see us take a chance on him. he cant be as bad as taylor...

 

Somehow I'm going to side with Larry Brown on this one. There's not much overall difference between Taylor and Antonio McDyess as players (contracts, yes...players...no). If Darko can't steal minutes away from Dice at this point in Dice's career....

Even if he lived up to half of the hype, I'd still rather have a Troy Murphy type next to Yao.

 

I am from Detroit and I watch every Pistons game cause I have to, but Darko sucks man!!! He's so lazy and out of shape, I have no I dea why the Pistons drafted him and not Melo. He might become better un Grumpy If he was given more playing time. Right now he just Sucks

 

BY MICHAEL ROSENBERG
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST

I love Darko Milicic.

And not because of his basketball skills. I love that I can start a screaming match just by typing the words "I love Darko Milicic."

Milicic is perfect for today's speak-before-you-think sports climate: The less you see him, the stronger your opinion.

And since we don't see him much, Milicic generates strong opinions -- has spawned a slew of Darko Myths.

MYTH NO. 1: He's a bust.

To some people, this is the end of the story. Darko isn't a player -- he's a punch line.

Yet those who have seen Milicic regularly say his talent is obvious. His skill level, for a 19-year-old post player, is extremely impressive.

Milicic can take off from a foot or two inside the free-throw line and dunk with either hand. I don't mean once. I mean consistently. I mean with ease. He is 7 feet tall. This is not normal.

He can score in the low post -- again, with either hand -- and he can sink three-pointers.

If the NBA had a skills competition for 7-footers, Milicic would be among the very best.

So why isn't he playing? This brings us to ...

MYTH NO. 2: He is a star chained to the bench.

Basketball is not a skills competition. And Milicic is apparently not ready to step into the flow of the game for an NBA championship contender. He has not played much competitive basketball -- one year in Serbia, really, before being drafted -- and it shows.

Basketball is unique in that every player must interact with every other player. Milicic has the tools, but he is still learning to use them in the context of the game. That won't cut it for a winning team with a perfectionist coach.

MYTH NO. 3: The Pistons have soured on Darko.

After all, he's not playing, so they can't love him that much, right?

In fact, Pistons president Joe Dumars has never wavered on Milicic. Dumars has a whole roster of guys who were dumped by their original teams. He doesn't want to fall into that trap.

But if you think Dumars is clinging to Milicic rather than admit to a mistake, you misread Dumars. Remember, he bailed on two first-round picks -- Mateen Cleaves and Rodney White -- after one year. He fired coach George Irvine after a year. He fired coach Rick Carlisle after he won a division title.

Plenty of teams would love to have Milicic. Eighteen months ago, a lot of people in the NBA thought Milicic was a better NBA prospect than Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade. It wasn't just Dumars.

Dumars could easily improve his team in the short term by trading Milicic. He hasn't even considered it. That's all you need to know.

MYTH NO. 4: Darko has soured on the Pistons.

This one grew legs when Milicic complained about playing time this week. A rumor soon followed that he wants a trade. Forget it.

"This isn't the petulant young player crying and saying, 'Trade me,' " said Milicic's agent, Marc Cornstein. "It's the very opposite. He's saying, 'I love it here. I want to show that I'm ready to contribute.' "

And since Milicic has two more years left on his contract, we can combine Myths 3 and 4 to conclude that he isn't going anywhere.

MYTH NO. 5: The Darko we see in the final minutes is the same Darko from practice.

If that were the case, the Pistons would have traded him by now. Milicic looks awkward and clueless during a lot of his game time, but the final minutes of an NBA blowout are not really basketball. They are chaos.

Players go for quick shots, steals, blocks -- anything to fill up the box score. It is almost impossible to get into the flow of a game. And since Milicic is desperate to prove his value in that time, he rarely looks smooth.

In other words, by playing Milicic at the end of games, coach Larry Brown might actually be hurting his development. But if Brown didn't play him then, somebody would probably kill the coach, and that somebody is named Darko.

MYTH NO. 6: We should know about Darko by now.

Milicic played sparingly before the draft, not at all last year, then didn't play last summer because of a broken hand. He's 19. We are so far from the end of the line, this isn't even worth discussing.

There are two good reasons for the impatience. One, we're always impatient. And two, Anthony and Wade have blossomed. It will be difficult for Milicic to catch up to either of them, especially Wade. But he has a chance to be exceptional.

And that's one of the great things about sports -- eventually, Milicic will get a chance to kill all the myths, right in front of our eyes.

 

Very convincing arguement there. At least it has made rethink my bust-leaning opinion of Darko.

From that it is conceivable that Dumas is not even shopping him. But maybe he is...who knows.