Is Darko a bust?

[Timberwolf]

It's an interesting question. I thought he would fully come along by now. I would hope he would contribute by now from the bench, but it hasn't happened. Some people said that Larry Brown held him back which is funny. Larry Brown may not have the patience with rookies, but if they can play, he will give them a shot. With Flip coaching, everyone thought Darko would show his stuff. You know how good Flip is when it comes to offense. I mean he was able to get scoring out of Mark Madsen so you figure he would do the same with Darko. So far, it hasn't worked out. Darko has had an impact the way Rashad McCants is having an impact with the Timberwolves which is not much.

Does anyone think he will ever be productive in the NBA?

I think he will do okay, but he certainly won't be the player that he is hyped out to be.

I never knew why the Pistons even drafted him in the first place. I could understand them not going after Anthony, but what they saw in Darko that no one even knew about him. Thank God Detroit is so good that they could afford to make a mistake. Still this type of pick could set a franchise who has to rebuild back.

[lal4l]

People would have thought that Flip would have given him the chance but he has not shown it at all... BUt you cant complain because they are winning!

[Timberwolf]

Of course. No one is going to make a big deal about it since the Pistons are a very good team and they will continue to be as long as Joe Dumars is running this team.

Now if you got a very bad team picking Darko and he doesn't pan out, that franchise takes a step back for six or seven years.

[lal4l]

How did they get that 2nd pick again?

[Tigers#1]

The pick we got from an Otis Thorpe trade from Vancouver. It started off as a 2nd round pick, but every year for like 6-7 years that they didn't give it to us, it became a higher pick the next year.

As for Darko i'm not saying he's going to be great, but with both Larry and Flips teams, players really have to earn their playing time, but neither lets these guys really show what they can do to earn that time. Delfino is just now starting to get PT. Darko did really look good in Summer ball and the preseason.

Also, how many Europeons really show anything there first few years, and how many of those guys weren't drafted at age 18?

[MarkPope]

I think Darko will become an assett to the Pistons in the long run, granted they resign him. The Wallaces and McDyess aren't getting any younger. That's why they drafted Maxiell last year as well.

[Baseball Guru]

I could understand them not going after Anthony.


Why?

[Tigers#1]

The Pistons already had a good young small forward in Prince, Anthony really didn't fit Joe Dumars system, and he problably wouldn't have played much his first few years either. They wanted a 7 foot guy who they could develop while the team was contending.

[Timberwolf]

The thing is anyone can do well under Flip because Flip runs a unique offense that anyone can score as shown in Minnesota. I mean Mark Madsen was able to score with Flip. I figure Darko would do well right now. I did not expect Darko to be like Nududi Ebi, a failed Timberwolves draft pick. I just thought he would futher come along by now.

[Dward00]

The Pistons already had a good young small forward in Prince, Anthony really didn't fit Joe Dumars system, and he problably wouldn't have played much his first few years either. They wanted a 7 foot guy who they could develop while the team was contending.


That still doesn't make it a smart choice. When are they going to have another number 2 pick?

Here are what I think are the top NBA european players and when they were drafted:

Dirk Nowitzki: 1998, 1st round, 9th pick by Bucks
Pau Gasol: 2001, 1st round, 3rd pick by Grizzlies
Tony Parker: 2001, 1st round, 28th pick by Spurs
Zydrunas Ilgauskas: 1996, 1st round, 20th pick by Cavaliers
Peja Stojakovic: 1996, 1st round, 14th pick by Kings
Manu Ginobli: 1999 2nd Round, No. 57 overall by Spurs
Rasho Nesterovic: 1998, 1st round, 17th pick by Timberwolves
Andrei Kirilenko: 1999, 1st round, 24th pick by Jazz

IF I FORGOT SOMEONE PLZ POST IT HERE.

Yea they're all mostly first round but in the NBA, unlike the NFL, there's supposed to be a huge difference between the top 3-5 picks and the rest of the entire draft. And if you can get awesome european players like those listed above later in the first round, why in the world would anyone spend a number 2 pick on one?

[Dward00]

And Darko being a bust makes it even 10 times worst of a choice by Dumars. :brick:

My point is they could have at least done a sign and trade if they would have picked Carmelo. I know a lot of teams would have been slutty for that.

[Baseball Guru]

And Darko being a bust makes it even 10 times worst of a choice by Dumars. :brick:

My point is they could have at least done a sign and trade if they would have picked Carmelo. I know a lot of teams would have been slutty for that.


Agreed... I'm one that thinks you go with the best player available.. Good post Dward...

[Tigers#1]

Darko was considered the better player then just not right away. Even Denver said they would have taken Darko if they had the #2 pick. There are 40 Carmelo Anthonys out there. How many 7 foot +, 18 year olds who can shoot like a guard have there been available? Carmelo is a franchise type player, not a system player. He would of complained about his playing time, and again, not fit the system.

[Baseball Guru]

Well having seen almost all of Melo's games I sure considered Melo the #1 or #2 player going in that year.. Thats just my opinion..

I'm no NBA expert.. (But I play one on TV):laff:

It is also my opinion that the NBA sucks so I guess it really doesnt matter;)

[lal4l]

Sam Bowie was a better pick then Jordan...

[lal4l]

Sam Bowie was a better pick then Jordan...
HAHA makes me laugh

[Dward00]

Sam Bowie was a better pick then Jordan...


Seriously plz explain your intentions for that post..........lol.

[MarkPope]

We can't judge the Darko pick til he gets a shot. He really hasn't had a shot quite yet. I'll reserve judgement for a couple more years.

[lal4l]

Because first pick was Hakeem then Bowie THEN Jordan third.....

Stupid 2nd pick just like in this situation

[Timberwolf]

James: Then the Pistons should have drafted Chris Bosh or Dwayne Wade. It seemed the Pistons wanted a big man so they were better off getting Bosh.

I am never a fan of drafting European players till late in the first or second round. It's too much of a risk to draft them right away especially since they have to learn about the American game and it takes years to understand. Several years ago, teams were drafting Europeans early in the first round because they wanted to find the next Dirk Nowitzki. Denver thought Nikoloz Tskitishvili was going to be their Nowitzki. It hasn't really worked out.

I personally thought Denver saying that they would draft Darko was nothing more than a smoke screen, Kyle. Denver was struggling in attendance at the time and there was no way that they were going to get fanbase with Darko. Melo was their meal ticket to better attendance at the Pepsi Center.

BTW, Darko is on the trading block according to TNT's David Aldrige last night. Why do I have a nauseating feeling that the Wolves will pick up Darko? After all, McHale thinks he can develop big man hence why he signed Olowokandi and Tskitishvili

[Timberwolf]

We can't judge the Darko pick til he gets a shot. He really hasn't had a shot quite yet. I'll reserve judgement for a couple more years.

Yes, but Barkley and John Thompson made an interesting point. If Darko was that good, he would have gotten a shot. Also, isn't going after the Wallace men supposed to make Darko better as they mentioned last night.

[Tigers#1]

OK. i'm only going to go through this one more time, and i actually want you guys to read it.

Nobodys arguing if Carmelo is a better player right now, but you can't say it was a worse pick. The Pistons didn't neen another Small Forward, they had one in Tayshaun Prince, and you can argue that he's a better player right now. Also, if they would of taken Carmelo, they wouldn't of traded for Rasheed Wallace. That basically means that they wouldn't of won the title that year either

-Carmelo didn't fit our system
-Carmelo would not of had the opportunity to play
-Europeans take a lot longer to develop
-Darko is 20 years old
-He has played great when he's had the opportunity
-He hasn't had the opportunity

Denver said they would of taken him a year ago as well, while Carmelo was on the team.

To say Sam Bowie AHHHH! is just a little nieve. Again HE'S 20 YEARS OLD!!! I hope he does get traded to an Atlanta-type team and he gets to prove to the haters.:thumbsup:

[Dward00]

OK. i'm only going to go through this one more time, and i actually want you guys to read it.

Nobodys arguing if Carmelo is a better player right now, but you can't say it was a worse pick. The Pistons didn't neen another Small Forward, they had one in Tayshaun Prince, and you can argue that he's a better player right now. Also, if they would of taken Carmelo, they wouldn't of traded for Rasheed Wallace. That basically means that they wouldn't of won the title that year either

-Carmelo didn't fit our system
-Carmelo would not of had the opportunity to play
-Europeans take a lot longer to develop
-Darko is 20 years old
-He has played great when he's had the opportunity
-He hasn't had the opportunity

Denver said they would of taken him a year ago as well, while Carmelo was on the team.

To say Sam Bowie AHHHH! is just a little nieve. Again HE'S 20 YEARS OLD!!! I hope he does get traded to an Atlanta-type team and he gets to prove to the haters.:thumbsup:


For the love of god if you have a number 2 pick that you don't need YOU DO NOT spend it. They could have used it towards a trade for a top 6th man which is the one weakness of the team today.

[Dward00]

Yes, but Barkley and John Thompson made an interesting point. If Darko was that good, he would have gotten a shot. Also, isn't going after the Wallace men supposed to make Darko better as they mentioned last night.

I think I remember Barkley saying that too. And imo he was right, which is the few times he ever has been.

[Tigers#1]

For the love of god if you have a number 2 pick that you don't need YOU DO NOT spend it. They could have used it towards a trade for a top 6th man which is the one weakness of the team today.
They have Antonio McDyess who's one of the best in the league.

And at the time, they had the best bench in the game with the Alternaderz.

And for the 12th time now, this guy is a project, not a guy to win right now.

[das&kml]

Like the draft of 1985, we see that the first and third picks will pan out to be successful, while the 2nd pick turns out to be merely average at best. But c'mon, give Darko a break. During the 2004 NBA Finals, he had his ears pierced, which basically meant he couldn't play unless he had the tape over his ears. And if I remember correctly, he damaged one of those ears (?).
Oh, what the hell. Darko, Olowakandi, and Kwame will all be considered the greatest draft busts of big men in the history of the NBA. I would throw Tyson Chandler into the mix, but he actaully is productive on some nights, unlike the aforementioned trio.