Darko Milicic to be traded to Orlando

[Kyyle23]

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 title 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

[Dam8610]

I said it in 2003 and I'll say it again now: the Pistons will regret taking Darko Milicic. Now it appears they are.

[WilliamTell]

I'm glad he's getting traded, he'll get to try to have a decent career. And yes I also do think they'll regret drafting him, who knows what the team would be like if Carmello had been on their team. I'm sure Prince wouldn't have progressed like he has if Carmello was on the team though.

[whitesoxfan101]

I'll reiterate what I said in June of 2004 and I'll say it again now: The Pistons winning it all in 2004, coming within 1 game of it in 2005, and possibly doing it in 2006 never happens if they take Carmelo. The pick itself for the Pistons turned out to be a bust as they aren't getting anything in this deal (great deal by Orlando, Darko still has talent) but at the same time, I still think they don't win it all if they take Carmelo (and mind you, if they had, no Rasheed Wallace).

Edited February 15, 2006 by whitesoxfan101

[knightni]

Somewhere, Carmelo Anthony is laughing.

[Balta1701]

Somewhere, Carmelo Anthony is laughing.

...without a ring on his finger....

[knightni]

But cash in his pocket and a big shoe contract.

 

He will get a ring someday.

 

Maybe not in Denver though.

[Balta1701]

But cash in his pocket and a big shoe contract.

 

He will get a ring someday.

 

Maybe not in Denver though.

Just because he's a very good player doesn't mean he's guaranteed a ring. Garnett sure looks like he'll wind up without one right now.

[SoxFan1]

I still think Milicic has the talent to be an excellent player in the NBA.

[Balta1701]

I still think Milicic has the talent to be an excellent player in the NBA.

Well, hopefully now we'll get the chance to see.

[SoxFan1]

Well, hopefully now we'll get the chance to see.

Agreed. And I am very excited.

[Rowand44]

I said it in 2003 and I'll say it again now: the Pistons will regret taking Darko Milicic. Now it appears they are.

A championship in 04 and runner ups in 05 since that draft. I don't think they're regretting anything.

[nitetrain8601]

I hear this deal is only 50-50 now. I hope it goes through. I want Milicic to show what he has.

[Dam8610]

A championship in 04 and runner ups in 05 since that draft.  I don't think they're regretting anything.

 

I didn't say they were a bad team, just that they used that pick wrong. If they had picked Carmelo, they could've used him as bait to get Wallace, and probably given up less than they did. As it stands, they got almost nothing out of a #2 overall pick.

[rangercal]

Somewhere, Carmelo Anthony is laughing.

wade> anthony

[jackie hayes]

wade> anthony

Yeah, but noone then was talking about Wade with the second pick. (In fact... ) Some people were even saying Melo should go #1. It was 'called.' By many, many people.

 

Saying they should have taken Wade is like saying, Wow, how dumb of them (any of 'em, take yr pick) to not take Amare Stoudamire, Ben Wallace, etc! Well, sure, in hindsight.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Yeah, but noone then was talking about Wade with the second pick.  (In fact...  )  Some people were even saying Melo should go #1.  It was 'called.'  By many, many people.

 

Saying they should have taken Wade is like saying, Wow, how dumb of them (any of 'em, take yr pick) to not take Amare Stoudamire, Ben Wallace, etc!  Well, sure, in hindsight.

 

I remember we were projected to take Wade. The Heat actually surprised a lot of people taking him 5th. "Waits for Cuck the Fubs to say we're better off with Hinrich."

[witesoxfan]

I didn't say they were a bad team, just that they used that pick wrong. If they had picked Carmelo, they could've used him as bait to get Wallace, and probably given up less than they did. As it stands, they got almost nothing out of a #2 overall pick.

 

The Sox have barely gotten anything out of their most recent draft picks in the past 5 years, and, if I am thinking right, had only 4 drafted players on their entire team(Crede, Rowand, Thomas, and Buehrle - it's 6 if you're going to count Anderson and McCarthy). How much do White Sox fans care that a lot of those top picks have been "wasted?" You can't honestly tell me you are seriously disappointed that Royce Ring is gone.

 

The Pistons have been to the NBA Finals 2 years in a row, and beat the Lakers...are they truly that disappointed that Darko did nothing with them? I do not think so.

 

And I would not even use Anthony as trade bait...you just don't trade players that look like young superstars. You don't.

[jackie hayes]

I remember we were projected to take Wade.  The Heat actually surprised a lot of people taking him 5th.  "Waits for Cuck the Fubs to say we're better off with Hinrich."

Yup, that's the . Everytime I see Heat highlights, I find myself shaking my head at the damn luck.

[SoxFan1]

The Sox have barely gotten anything out of their most recent draft picks in the past 5 years, and, if I am thinking right, had only 4 drafted players on their entire team(Crede, Rowand, Thomas, and Buehrle - it's 6 if you're going to count Anderson and McCarthy).  How much do White Sox fans care that a lot of those top picks have been "wasted?"  You can't honestly tell me you are seriously disappointed that Royce Ring is gone.

 

The Pistons have been to the NBA Finals 2 years in a row, and beat the Lakers...are they truly that disappointed that Darko did nothing with them?  I do not think so.

 

And I would not even  use Anthony as trade bait...you just don't trade players that look like young superstars.  You don't.

I know what you mean, and I agree with you but you can't compare the 2 round NBA draft to the MLB Draft that has a s***load of rounds. In the NBA, you have to make the most of your picks. You can take chances on people or wait a few rounds for someone in the MLB Draft.

[Balta1701]

I hear this deal is only 50-50 now. I hope it goes through. I want Milicic to show what he has.

As of like 5 minutes ago it looks like ESPN is saying its' a done deal.

[hammerhead johnson]

It's a good idea to get Chauncey and Big Ben locked down, but you have got to do better than Kelvin Cato and a non Top 5 pick for an immensely talented prospect like Darko Milicic.

 

Great move by Orlando, although Baby Dwight and Darko are both PFs through and through. If I was going to pick one of those guys to man the C slot, it would obviously be Dwight Howard. It's all about big hips and big thighs. That's why Tyson Chandler ain't cut out for the C slot, but he'll continue to get the bulk of his minutes there with wack-ass Malik Allen serving as the only true C on the roster. Calling that dude a true C is a stretch, but at least he has some girth. Paxson is brilliant, as you all know.

[DBAHO]

Haha I love this music;

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y35e2li_pBw&search=Darko